Report: PC Sales to Fall Over 8 Percent in 2022
- Paul Thurrott
- Jun 08, 2022
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IDC said today that it expects PC sales to fall 8.22 percent in 2022 thanks to COVID lockdowns, the war in Ukraine, and inflation. The firm now expects PC makers to sell 321.2 million PCs in 2022.
“On top of the compounding issues related to the pandemic, we have now added war, inflation, and ongoing China lockdowns to the equation,” IDC group vice president Ryan Reith says. “Our research continues to show strong demand and supply activity aimed at the commercial PC market, but the consumer and education markets are seeing increasing concerns and, as a result, reduced orders. The reduction in the most recent forecast was significant for many reasons, and the uncertainty remains high.”
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In the good news department, IDC noted that restrictions related to the ongoing supply shortages are expected to “ease soon.” PC sales in 2022 will still exceed those of pre-pandemic levels thanks to “upcoming device refreshes, robust commercial demand, and uptake within emerging markets.” And IDC expects PC shipments to return to growth in 2023.
IDC also says that tablet sales will decline in 2022, by 6.2 percent to 158 million units. But unlike PCs, which should see growth through at least 2026 to 339 million units, tablet sales are expected to decline to just 152.5 million units in 2026.