Demand in the business market drives growth … First year-over-year increase in PC shipments since Q1 2012
PC Momentum to Weaken as Peak of Windows 10 Upgrades Passes … Too Early to Conclude PC Industry Recovery

According to Gartner, global PC shipments in the second quarter of 2018 increased by 1.4% year-over-year to 62.1 million units. This marks the first time global PC shipments have shown year-over-year growth since the first quarter of 2012.

According to the survey results, all surveyed regions showed slight growth compared to a year ago. While this result is positive news for the PC industry, Gartner's analysis suggests it is insufficient to be considered a signal of market stability sufficient to conclude that the industry has regained its recovery.

“Demand in the business market offset the decline in consumer shipments, driving PC shipment growth in the second quarter of 2018,” said Mikako Kitagawa, a senior research analyst at Gartner. “In the consumer sector, the basic market structure remains intact due to changes in PC usage patterns and continues to influence market growth. As consumers increasingly use smartphones for daily tasks such as checking social media, managing schedules, banking, and shopping, the need for PCs is decreasing.”

In addition, “In the business sector, PC momentum is expected to weaken in two years as the peak of Windows 10 replacement passes. "PC manufacturers must find ways to maintain growth in the business market even after the Windows 10 upgrade cycle ends," he added.

With the completion of the joint venture between Fujitsu and Lenovo, the top five PC vendors accounted for 75% of total PC shipments in the second quarter of 2018. Through the joint venture, Lenovo absorbed Fujitsu's PC shipments, placing it on par with HP for the top spot in global PC shipments in the second quarter of 2018 (see Table 1). All of the top five vendors recorded growth in worldwide PC shipments during this quarter. HP recorded year-over-year growth in PC shipments for the third consecutive quarter. HP demonstrated steady growth in all regions except the U.S., achieving shipment growth rates that exceeded the regional averages. Meanwhile, Lenovo recorded its highest growth rate since the first quarter of 2015.

While competitors have experienced a steady decline in PC shipments over the past two years, Dell has maintained its shipments by focusing on high-growth areas such as commercial products and divesting from low-profit areas.

Total PC shipments in the Asia-Pacific region reached 21.3 million units, a 0.1% increase year-over-year. Several emerging Asian markets, including India, Indonesia, and Thailand, performed well in the commercial product sector, driven by demand for replacing aging PCs and upgrading to Windows 10. In China, PC shipments fell 3.6% year-over-year as some companies deferred PC purchases until 2019 and the consumer market entered saturation.

This announcement presents preliminary research results, and the final findings will be released to customers of Gartner’s Regional program, PC Quarterly Statistics Worldwide. This program provides a comprehensive and timely overview of the global PC market, enabling product planning, distribution, marketing, and sales organizations to identify key global issues and their impact.