WinXP effect sends PC sales up and down in Japan

Good news! Windows XP's launch prompted a 24.3 per cent increase in sales of PCs in Japan, according to Asiabiztech. Bad news! sales of PCs in Japan were down 16.9 per cent following the Windows XP launch.

The problem is that the ups or downs depend on whether you compare the launch week with the week before, or with the same week a year before. The numbers jumped 24.3 per cent by volume and 27.8 per cent by value compared to the week before, but dropped 16.9 per cent by volume and 16.4 per cent by value compared with the same period a year before.

The trend seems to have continued into the second week, although the way Asiabiztech puts it is too screwy for The Register to understand. You decide. But it does seem clear that if XP has had any effect on the Japanese market, it's only been in the sense that it may have slightly blunted a nasty nosedive.

What is interesting is that the average prices of PCs are rising, and that notebook computer trends seem to be diverging from desktop ones. In terms of volume, year on year notebook sales only fell 4.3 per cent, while by value they're down 11.9 per cent. So notebooks have been getting cheaper, and comparatively more attractive to buyers. Desktops on the other hand plunged 28.7 per cent by volume and 21.3 per cent by value. ®