IDC is reporting that worldwide PC shipments stood at 76.3 million units for the first quarter of 2013 a 13.9 per cent decline over the same quarter in 2012. This is the single largest quarterly drop since IDC started tracking the PC market in 1994 and is nearly double the 7.7 percent drop IDC anticipated.
“At this point, unfortunately, it seems clear that the Windows 8 launch not only failed to provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed the market,” said Bob O’Donnell, vice president of Clients and Displays at IDC, in a statement. “While some consumers appreciate the new form factors and touch capabilities of Windows 8, the radical changes to the UI, removal of the familiar Start button, and the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices. Microsoft will have to make some very tough decisions moving forward if it wants to help reinvigorate the PC market.”
Microsoft is reportedly trying to compensate for the drop off in the PC market with a 7-inch Surface tablet for launch later in 2013.
Source: Wall Street Journal
