The combined PC market in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar (‘Other Gulf Cooperation Council’ (OGCC) countries) fell 4.2% YoY in Q2’14, says IDC. Shipments to the region totalled 217,698 units.
Bahrain was said to be largely responsible for the decline. While Qatar and Oman saw relatively minor (3.3% each) declines and shipments to Kuwait rose 1.7%, the PC market in Bahrain was down 21.4% YoY. Political and social unrest were cited as factors affecting the country.
Additionally, the PC market in the region is seeing cannibalisation from tablets and smartphones. Tablets were up 13% YoY, while portable PCs fell 16%. IDC expects the trend to continue in coming years. In terms of desktops, shipments were up in Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, primarily attributed to public sector deals. Government employees in these countries, where security is a major concern, are often not allowed to use portable devices.
HP took the top spot in the region’s PC market (30.3% share), followed by Dell (24.7%). Lenovo took third place (21.8%), with aggressive promotions.
