After years of declining shipments, PC makers saw big growth over the past year, largely fueled by the work-from-home trend during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Now research firms Gartner, IDC, and Canalys report that PC shipments are continuing to trend upward… but growth has slowed somewhat in the latest quarter.
The most likely reason for that is supply chain shortages which are making it difficult for PC makers (and other electronic device makers) to obtain the parts necessary to produce hardware fast enough to keep up with demand.
The three research firms have different ways of counting what exactly counts as a PC, so the numbers differ a bit depending on whether Chromebooks and/or tablets are included. But all three agree on three things
- Lenovo, HP, and Dell continued to lead the pack with the most units shipped.
- There was continued growth in PC shipments during the second quarter of 2021.
- That growth has slowed somewhat, most likely due to semiconductor shortages.
Demand for PCs is said to still be high, and as more folks return tot he office, we could see growth in demand for new computers in the business and enterprise markets as well. But chip shortages are affecting supply… and Gartner also notes that shortages could also lead to higher prices for new PCs, which could affect demand in the next six to twelve months.
You can find more details in press releases from Canalys, Gartner, and IDC.