Sales of personal computers have experienced the sharpest decline in almost 20 years, according to recent reports.
Market research firm IDC has released figures that show worldwide PC sales of just 76.3 million for the first quarter of 2013. This represents a 13.9 per cent drop since the same period last year.
Not only is this the fourth consecutive quarter of shipment declines, it's also the worst slump since the IDC started tracking the figures back in 1994.
What's more, the extent of this slump is far worse than predicted. It was believed that PC sales would drop by only 7.7 per cent during the first quarter of 2013.
Windows 8 Failure
It appears as if the launch of Windows 8 has failed to provide the boost to PC sales than many had hoped for. In fact, it may have done more damage than good.
"At this point, unfortunately, it seems clear that the Windows 8 launch not only failed to provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed the market," said IDC's Bob O'Donnell.
Explaining the failings of Windows 8, he adds that "the radical changes to the UI, removal of the familiar Start button, and the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices."
Though it appears as if they're competing for a slice of an ever-shrinking pie, HP will be glad that it remains the top PC vendor with 15.7 per cent of the market. It won't be glad that its business has experienced a decline of 23.7 per cent since this time last year.
With tablet sales on the rise and Windows 8 failing to reignite consumer interest in traditional computers, has the PC had its day? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Via: Businesswire
