The end of Microsoft’s support for Windows 7 at the start of next year will create a spurt of PC renewal throughout the rest of 2019, according to beancounters at IDC.
According to IDC, shipments of traditional PCs (desktops, notebooks and workstations) will decline by 0.4 percent year on year in 2019, but the commercial market will experience “significant growth” as a result of the operating system upgrades.
Malini Paul, research manager at IDC, said: “Despite the ongoing CPU supply chain shortage and political uncertainties, the Western European PC market has proved to be resilient in Q1 2019.
“The market is expected to gain further stability in the forthcoming quarters, thanks to continuous strong demand from large and medium-sized businesses through to the end of 2019 ahead of the end of life of Windows 7 in January 2020.”
IDC predicts that thin, light, and convertible notebooks will see the strongest growth in the notebook category this year, driven by commercial demand for easily portable devices.
Despite the growing trend towards mobile devices, desktops will still have a strong foothold in some verticals because of their security benefits.
IDC added: “As we approach the tail end of the long desktop life cycles, accelerated renewals can be expected throughout 2019.”
