China has finally surpassed the United States to become the largest PC market in the world.
Results from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker show that approximately 18.5 million units worth $US11.9 billion shipped in China in the second quarter of 2011, compared to 17.7 million units worth $US11.7 billion in the US.
China now represents 22 per cent of the global PC market’s unit shipments, compared to the US at 21 per cent.
However, on a full year basis the US is still likely to remain the largest market in 2011, with 73.5 million units forecast to be shipped versus 72.4 million in China.
“There are still risks ahead for China, including not just inflation but also the impact of economic conditions in the US and Europe,” said IDC vice president for Greater China Research, Kitty Fok.
“But in the meantime, the Chinese government’s 12th Five-Year Plan should help large enterprises in various infrastructure verticals to continue to move along, not to mention efforts to increase consumer penetration in lower-tier cities.”
Added Worldwide PC Tracker program vice president, Loren Loverde: “China’s lead in the PC market is a huge shift that reflects the rising fortunes of emerging markets as well as the relative stagnation of more mature regions.
"While the immediate economic circumstances in the US and other markets had a significant impact on the timing of China’s move to the lead, they have not changed the trend, but accelerated it.”
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