Worldwide software market bouncing back

Signs that the IT industry is on the road to recovery emerged today, as Gartner reported that the worldwide enterprise software market increased 8.5 per cent year on year in 2010 to reach of $245bn (£149bn). 

This growth marks a recovery after a tough time for the market; worldwide revenue declined 2.5 per cent to $226bn in 2009.

"In 2010, major software vendors expanded their product portfolios, acquired companies where appropriate to their plans, and reached deeper into emerging markets," said Joanne Correia, managing vice president at Gartner. 

"The year represented a return to solid footing as the market recovered and expanded in terms of revenue and geographies. However, some regions did not recover as rapidly as others. Japan and Western Europe saw relatively modest dollar-denominated growth, while Latin America and Asia Pacific saw growth in the mid-to-high teens, nearly double the market average."

Microsoft kept hold of its number-one position, increasing its market share in 2010 to 22.4 per cent. The company was boosted by the take-up of its Windows 7 operating system and Microsoft Office 2010 productivity software. 

According to Gartner, Microsoft's secret to success has been in implementing new strategies aimed at both individuals and organisations, and in multiple delivery models. The company is placing more emphasis on enterprise application and infrastructure software programming platforms.