Computer market to resume its growth in 2017

In 2016 the shipments of personal computers reached the "bottom", and next year the market will return to an upward trajectory, Gartner analysts predict.

According to experts, a total of 284 million PC units will be delivered to the global market this year, which is 1.5% less (289 million) than last year. The most observable decline will be in the shipments of traditional PC, which includes desktops and laptops. Their shipments are expected to decline by 6.7%, from 244 million in 2015 to 228 million in 2016.

However, in 2017 the shipments of PCs will begin to rise, says Gartner research director Ranjit Atwal.
Expert sees great potential in the Windows 10 and the Intel hardware platform “Skylake” and believes that as a result of their synergies in the market there will appear new form factors with more attractive features and functions.

Gartner forecast envisages that this year manufacturers will release 57 million Ultra Mobile PCs, compared to 45 million a year earlier. In 2017, the figure will increase to 73 million, and in 2018 - will reach 90 million units. Due to this, PC the overall shipments in 2017 will rise to 296 million units, and the computer market will reach 306 million units. The growth is expected despite the fact that the market segment of traditional desktops and laptops in the next year will be reduced to 223 million units, and in 2018 - up to 216 million.

At the same time, analysts expect a weakening in demand for tablets. It is assumed that their shipments in 2016 will fall by 3.4%, to 188 million units. The same rate will remain in 2017, and only in 2018 is it may rise slightly to 194 million units, the report says. 

---