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For the First Time Since 2012, PC Shipments Are About to Go Up

Windows 10's constant refreshing and ongoing security concerns are pushing the worldwide market for desktops, laptops, and hybrid PCs to its first year-to-year growth in a long time.

By Eric Griffith
October 18, 2018
WhyAxis - Canays - Long Streak of Declines to Stop in 2019

For the first time in a long, long time, PC sales will actually not slump. It's not a big jump—only a forecasted year-to-year increase of PC sales of 0.3 percent coming in 2019. That's practically a null gain. But this chart from Canalys shows that the slumps have been so bad in the past seven years, especially in 2013 and 2015, that any increase is worth trumpeting.

The Why Axis Bug The reason cited by Canalys analysts for the refreshing albeit slight recovery? Windows 10. It says the refresh of the OS will "continue to be the main driver of commercial demand for PCs in 2019." It doesn't hurt that IT is freaking out about security, and shortages of components will ease up by the end of this year.

Canalys says, however, that this recovery thanks to Windows 10 won't last forever.

Also worth noting is that the recovery isn't really worldwide. It's driven by projected increases mainly in North America and APAC (Asia Pacific) regions, which together will overcome continued slumps in China, Western Europe, and Latin America, all of which round out the top five PC regions.

WhyAxis - Canays - NA and APAC to Grow PC Shipments in 2019

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About Eric Griffith

Senior Editor, Features

I've been writing about computers, the internet, and technology professionally for over 30 years, more than half of that time with PCMag. I run several special projects including the Readers' Choice and Business Choice surveys, and yearly coverage of the Best ISPs and Best Gaming ISPs, plus Best Products of the Year and Best Brands. I work from my home, and did it long before pandemics made it cool.

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