Gartner shrinks PC sales forecast

Economic downturn and new devices to blame for just 3.8 per cent growth

Research company Gartner reduced its forecast for 2011 worldwide PC unit growth to just 3.8 per cent, after forecasting 9.3 per cent growth three months ago.

The forecast was reduced due to the poor sales projections for the US and Western Europe for the second half of 2011. The 2012 forecast was also altered from 12.8 per cent to 10.9 per cent annual growth.

Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner, said that "the increasingly pessimistic economic outlook is causing both consumer and business sentiment to deteriorate in both regions".

Atwal added that other devices may be taking over as the main device for users, as PCs are no longer seen as a "compelling product".

The current forecast suggests that only 352 million units will be sold in total as opposed to the 406.6 million units expected at the start of the year. The earlier figure represented a 15.9 per cent growth forecast.