PC sales to be worse than anticipated in 2015, says IDC

A research firm is forecasting a bigger decline in personal computer sales in 2015. International Data Corp. projected Thursday that PC sales would drop 4.9 percent to 293.1 million worldwide. IDC had previously forecast a 3.3-percent drop. PC sales fell 2.2 percent in 2014. IDC said it cut its forecast because the stronger U.S. dollar is making computers more expensive in other countries and it expects Microsoft to scale back subsidies for some products. Shipments are also being pushed to later in 2015 as consumers wait for new products like Microsoft’s new Windows 10 operating system, expected later this year. PC sales have been slumping for the past two years as more consumers turn to mobile devices. But there have been recent signs the worst of the decline is over. And in the long term, IDC expects declines to level out, with PC shipments of 291.4 million in 2019. IDC predicts desktop PC shipments will drop 6.2 percent and laptop shipments will fall 3.9 percent this year. Earlier Thursday Intel cut its first-quarter revenue forecast, partly because demand for business desktop PCs was weaker than it expected. Associated Press