Global PC shipments will reach 299 million units this year, down 0.1% from 2013, according to Taiwan’s MIC.
Shipments have been bolstered by replacement demand for Windows XP units. The majority of desktop PC shipments have been commercial units, and overall desktop volume is estimated at 130 million units this year – up 3.1% YoY. The decline of notebook PCs, although still being affected by tablet shipments, has slowed. MIC expects shipments to exceed 168 million units: a 2.5% decline. Notebook PCs’ share of total PC products will fall from 57.6% to 56.2%.
Tablet shipment volume will reach 268 million units. Growth will plummet from 69.6% to 12.4%. Taiwan’s tablet shipments in particular will be squeezed by the price of branded tablets falling to close the gap with white-box models. The Taiwan tablet industry is forecast to ship 95 million units, down 16.9% YoY.
Competition from white-box and low-cost tablet vendors next year will slow demand for branded products, MIC believes. Overall tablet shipments will rise 9.2% next year, to 293 million units.
