Hopes that the mobile PC market would show some spunk in the fourth quarter of 2013 were dashed by insipid sales.
According to market research company IHS, although the quarter showed the strongest global sequential growth in four years, the results were still disappointing.
Shipments of mobile PCs worldwide amounted to 52.6 million units and that’s a rise of 9.4 percent compared to the third quarter of 2013. But the industry, said IHS, wanted to sell 55.3 million units in the quarter. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2012, sales showed a five percent decline – the sixth year on year decline.
So what’s the problem? According to Craig Stice, director of computers at IHS, Bay Trail and other platforms were expected to bring cheaperPs to the world. But the vendors wanted to keep stock levels lean and entry level PCs failed to show high volume.
IHS counts its mobile PC sector as including laptops and PC tablets but as the world+dog knows, people think smartphones and non PC tablets are more appealing.
The industry is hoping against hope that when Windows XP shuffles off its mortal coil, people will buy more PC kit.
