Windows 7 won't lift corporate PC sales

Gartner cautiously optimistic on PC shipments in 2009

Despite revising upwards estimates for the number of PCs that will be sold this year, industry analysts at Gartner do not see the imminent launch of Windows 7 boosting the sale of new PCs to corporate buyers.

In their latest forecasts Gartner market-watchers are warning vendors not to expect too much from the arrival of Microsoft’s latest operating system.

“At best, Windows 7 may generate a modest bump in home demand and possibly among small businesses,” said George Shiffler, research director at Gartner. “However, we aren't expecting most larger businesses, governments and educational institutions to express strong demand until late 2010.

“We're actually more concerned that vendors will overestimate the initial demand for Windows 7 and end up carrying excess inventories into 2010,” Shiffler added.

Gartner has joined the growing number of voices who are cautiously optimistic about recovery in the PC market. The firm’s latest forecast says worldwide PC shipments will reach 285 million units in 2009, a 2 per cent decline from 2008. In June Gartner was anticipating a 6 per cent unit decline in 2009 from 2008.

"PC demand appears to be running much stronger than we expected back in June, especially in the US and China," said Shiffler. "Mobile PC shipments have regained substantial momentum, especially in emerging markets, and the decline in desk-based PCs is slowing."

Mini-notebooks were the star performers in the second quarter of 2009 but
have put tremendous downward pressure on PC prices in general and consumer mobile PC prices in particular. Gartner forecasts worldwide mini-notebook shipments to reach 25 million units in 2009.