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PC Shipment Growth To Remain Above 10% Through 2008 with Limited Impact From A Delayed Vista Launch, According To IDC

FRAMINGHAM, MA - MARCH 27, 2006 - Following another strong performance in the fourth quarter, growth in the PC market is expected to slow to just over 10% for the next several years, according to the latest forecast from IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. Although this is still relatively strong and an improvement from the November 2005 forecast, it is also notably below the growth of more than 15% for the past 2 years and will bring growth in shipment value to below 5%.
IDC continues to believe the market will slow in most regions during 2006, most notably in Western Europe, Japan, and Rest of World, although total worldwide growth is expected to be at least 10.5% through 2008. This is slightly more optimistic than the November 2005 forecast, which called for growth to slip below 10% starting in 2007. The update reflects a shift of growth from 2006 to 2007 that combines the influence of stronger commercial spending in 2007 with a larger response to Microsoft's Vista release and related developments around digital integration. Short term expectations for the United States and Japan were lowered slightly while the outlook in Europe has improved to reflect continuing portable adoption and a more gradual decline in growth. Overall, worldwide shipments of PCs are projected to grow by 10.5% in 2006 and 10.7% in 2007, compared to November projections of 10.6% and 8.9%, respectively. Total shipment volume is expected to reach 254 million in 2007 with a value of US$232 billion.

Business Home Internet The recent delay in the release schedule for Microsoft's Vista is expected to have a limited impact on overall PC shipment volumes. IDC already expected growth to slow notably in 2006 following a wave of replacement purchases and portable adoption, so the Installed Base is relatively fresh. Commercial users are expected to give the new OS a thorough review before beginning any migration, although the consumer market should see a more immediate impact.

Last November, IDC forecast that computer shipments would rise 8.9% in 2007. despite Microsoft Vista's delay. If any thing, IDC believes that some consumers will make the choice to wait until Microsoft begins offering Vista for Windows before purchasing a new computer, which may be why its 2007 forecast was higher. Loren Loverde, an IDC analyst, was quoted as saying, "The delay will probably have a larger impact on PC vendor and Microsoft marketing efforts rather than on overall shipment numbers."

Business Mlm Opportunity "Some consumers will certainly delay PC purchases until Vista is available, but we expect the delay to shift only moderate volume from the fourth quarter of 2006 into 2007 and will not cause a loss of sales," explained Loren Loverde, director of IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. "The timing of the release will have some impact on when consumers buy, but not so much on whether or not they buy. In addition, we expect Microsoft and PC manufacturers to adjust their marketing and upgrade options to appeal to consumers in the fourth quarter even though the new OS is won't be ready. Instead of a dramatic effect on PC shipment volumes, the delay will probably have a larger impact on PC vendor and Microsoft marketing efforts that will need to be adjusted to fit the release schedule, and that will add complexity and cost."

(AXcess News) Reno, Microsoft Corp. ( MSFT) said last week that its Vista Windows operating system for consumers would be delayed and not be ready for the holiday PC shipments, lending to PC makers seeing slower sales. But according to technology research firm, IDC, Vista's delay won't affect PC shipments. IDC estimates that computer shipments will reach 229.4 million in 2006, that's a 10.5% increase over the 207.6 million shipped in 2005. For 2007, IDC estimates shipments of 254 million computers, up 10.7 from its 2006 forecasts. IDC also forecastthat in 2008, computer shipments should rise a minimum of 10.5%.

Based Business Home Income "The prevailing wind driving U.S. PC market growth continues to be consumers and the passage of desktops to portables as their dominant computing platform," said Richard Shim, senior research analyst, Personal Computing. "Declining prices, improving performance and battery life, and widescreen displays in notebooks are luring new buyers and upgrades, while stunting desktop PC growth to a trickle. This surge is contributing to the pace of overall notebook adoption and will likely bring closer the day that notebooks out ship desktops in the U.S."

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Based Business Home Internet About IDC
IDC is the premier global market intelligence and advisory firm in the information technology and telecommunications industries. We analyze and predict technology trends so that our clients can make strategic, fact-based decisions on IT purchases and business strategy. Over 700 IDC analysts in 50 countries provide local expertise and insights on technology markets. Business executives and IT managers have relied for 40 years on our advice to make decisions that contribute to the success of their organizations.

Many businesses are experiencing price increases of up to 140% which has the potential to seriously impact UK business growth.

Business Homebased Opportunity IDC is a division of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. Additional information can be found at www.idc.com

(AXcess News)Reno, Microsoft Corp. ( MSFT) delay in launching Vista, its new operating system, knocked the shares of the world's no. 1 software maker down 3 percent Wednesday. But the delays are seen as more of a setback for the PC industry who was planning to offer consumers new computers with the Windows Vista operating system installed in time for the holidays.

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Business New Opportunity Source: IDC

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