US PC shipments expected to fall 6% in 2001

IDC has cut its forecast for PC shipments, and now expects fewer computers to be sold in the US this year than in 2000.

Analysts believe shipments will drop 6.3 per cent in the US compared to 2000, from 48.4 million to 45.3 million units.

The US was previously told to expect 2.2 per cent growth.

The market is also expected to remain slow in 2002, growing 4.6 per cent to 47.4 million units.

In the same report, IDC dropped its growth forecast for worldwide shipments in 2001, from 10.3 per cent to 5.8 per cent. Sales are expected to rise to 138.9 million this year, from 131.3 million in 2000. For 2002, they are forecast to reach 155.9 million.

"While we believe that the shape of the seasonal pattern will be normal, the year-end uplift will not be as buoyant as is typical at that time of year," warned IDC analyst Roger Kay.

"Consumers have still not emerged from the shell they crawled into late last year," he added. ®

Related Link

IDC statement

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