Gartner Slashes 2011 PC Sales Forecast, Calls Apple (AAPL) iPad 'Game-Changer' (DELL) (HPQ)
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Overall Analyst Rating:
NEUTRAL (= Flat)
Dividend Yield: 0.5%
Revenue Growth %: -4.3%
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Research firm Gartner lowered its prediction for personal computer sales for the next two years, as demand for media tablet devices like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPad "redefines" computing.
Gartner reported Thursday that it has dropped its PC sales forecast for 2011 to 387.8 million units, an increase of 10.5 percent, down nearly a third from the previous forecast of a 15.9 percent jump.
For 2012, the research firm now sees PC shipments hitting 440.6 million units, up 13.6 percent, down from the previous outlook of 14.8 percent growth.
"These results reflect marked reductions in expected near-term unit growth based on expectations of weaker consumer mobile PC demand, in no small part because of the near-term weakness expected in China's mobile PC market, but also because of a general loss in consumer enthusiasm for mobile PCs," said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner.
Gartner sees consumers embracing PC alternatives. Apple itself called the new iPad 2 a "post-PC device."
"We expect growing consumer enthusiasm for mobile PC alternatives, such as the iPad and other media tablets, to dramatically slow home mobile PC sales, especially in mature markets," said George Shiffler, research director at Gartner.
PC companies like Dell (NASDAQ: DELL), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) will have to adapt to the changing landscape to offset the loss in PC growth.
Gartner reported Thursday that it has dropped its PC sales forecast for 2011 to 387.8 million units, an increase of 10.5 percent, down nearly a third from the previous forecast of a 15.9 percent jump.
For 2012, the research firm now sees PC shipments hitting 440.6 million units, up 13.6 percent, down from the previous outlook of 14.8 percent growth.
"These results reflect marked reductions in expected near-term unit growth based on expectations of weaker consumer mobile PC demand, in no small part because of the near-term weakness expected in China's mobile PC market, but also because of a general loss in consumer enthusiasm for mobile PCs," said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner.
Gartner sees consumers embracing PC alternatives. Apple itself called the new iPad 2 a "post-PC device."
"We expect growing consumer enthusiasm for mobile PC alternatives, such as the iPad and other media tablets, to dramatically slow home mobile PC sales, especially in mature markets," said George Shiffler, research director at Gartner.
PC companies like Dell (NASDAQ: DELL), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) will have to adapt to the changing landscape to offset the loss in PC growth.
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