The two biggest market research companies have each reported that personal computer shipments during the first quarter of 2016 fell dramatically. Both Gartner and IDC estimated sharp declines in Q1 versus the year earlier period – a 9.5 percent slump by Gartner’s estimates, an 11.5pc plunge by IDC’s figures.Gartner called it the lowest quarterly shipment level

in nine years. IDC however, said shipments were in line with expectations of an

11.3 percent decline, amid an anticipated “relatively weak environment

during the first half of 2016, as Windows 10 enterprise upgrades largely

remained in pilot phase, while consumer demand remains weak”.

Gartner reported worldwide PC shipments totalling 64.8 million units in the

first quarter, a 9.6 percent decline from the first quarter of 2015.

This was the sixth consecutive quarter of PC shipment declines, and the first

time since 2007 that shipment volume fell below 65 million units.

“The deterioration of local currencies against the US dollar continued to

play a major role in PC shipment declines. Our early results also show there

was an inventory build-up from holiday sales in the fourth quarter of

2015,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner.

IDC estimated worldwide PC shipments in the quarter at 60.6 million units, a

year-on-year decline of 11.5 percent. The company claims Apple toppled Asus for

fourth place in global PC shipments, with 7.4 percent share, up from 6.7

percent a year earlier.

Gartner, however, put Apple in fifth place behind Asus, which by Gartner’s

estimate saw a 1.5 percent rise in shipments, and holding onto fourth place

with 8.3 percent.

Lenovo maintained the number one position in worldwide PC shipments in the

first quarter of 2016 despite a 7.2 percent decline in shipments.