The availability of Windows Vista will have no
significant impact on PC shipment numbers this year, said analyst
Gartner.
The analyst said worldwide PC shipments are forecast to total
255.7 million units in 2007, a 10.5% increase from 2006, while PC
revenue is projected to reach $213.7bn (£112.4bn), a 4.6% increase
on 2006.
“We expect the market environment to be much the same over the
near term as it has been recently,” said George Shiffler, a Gartner
analyst.
He said, “Emerging markets and mobile PCs will continue to
afford PC vendors their best opportunities for growth. However,
falling average selling prices, slowing replacement activity and
further declines in mature market desk-based PC shipments, will
keep PC vendors under pressure to rationalise their operations or
exit the market.”
Gartner said PC shipments will enjoy, at best, a limited boost
from the release of Microsoft’s new Vista operating system.
“Vista’s effect on PC shipments ultimately depends on the number
of consumers and SMEs that find its new features compelling enough
to buy a new PC,” said Mikako Kitagawa, another Gartner
analyst.
“While Vista includes a number of interesting features, these
features just don’t have enough ‘must have’ appeal with the average
home and SME user to spark a significant rush of new PC sales,”
said Kitagawa.
Gartner analysts said they expect a minor increase in sales to
the small number of consumers and SMEs that put off replacing their
older systems in anticipation of Vista ’s release.
However, the vast majority of consumers and SMEs are expected to
adopt the new OS as they gradually replace existing machines during
the next several years, said Gartner.
Vista is forecast to have virtually no impact on PC shipments to
larger businesses in 2007. And Vista adoption among large firms is
expected lag behind consumers and SMBs, Gartner said.
Gartner analysts expect large businesses to delay widespread
adoption of Vista until at least the middle of next year, about the
time they are expected to begin a new replacement cycle.
Vista vulnerable to long-term exploit
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