The Asia Pacific (APAC) PC market experienced a setback in 2023, with a 16.1% decline, according to the latest report from the International Data Corp. (IDC). Totaling 97.4 million units, this drop is attributed to sluggish demand and sluggish economic recovery, painting a challenging picture for the industry’s immediate future.
“Throughout 2023, the APAC region witnessed a persistent decline across all quarters, as demand for devices dwindled in both consumer and commercial sectors,” said Matthew Ong, senior market analyst for Devices Research, IDC APAC. He pointed to economic headwinds and surplus inventory levels, forcing market players to curtail shipments, particularly in the initial half of the year.
Consumer PC sales bore the brunt of this downturn, plunging by 17.4% to 48.5 million units. Both desktops and consumer notebooks witnessed substantial declines, impacted by inflationary pressures and shifting consumer spending priorities.
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On the other hand, the commercial PC market experienced a 14.8% contraction, totaling 48.8 million units. Businesses, exercising caution amid economic uncertainty, scaled back IT spending and postponed PC replacements. Public sector shipments also faltered, reflecting a slowdown in pandemic-induced demand.
Top vendors
Lenovo topped the list with a market share of 26.7%, just 0.1 lower than 2022 which was at 26.8%. It was followed by HP, which experienced an increase with a market share of 15.1%, up from 2022’s 13.1%. Dell Technologies also declined from 2022’s 11.8% to 2023’s 9.8%.
Looking ahead to 2024, IDC forecasts a marginal 0.4% growth in traditional PC shipments, reaching 97.8 million units. However, growth prospects remain subdued in the first half of the year, with a gradual recovery anticipated thereafter, particularly in China and Japan. China’s expected economic resurgence is likely to stimulate PC purchases, while Japan may witness a surge in replacement demand for PCs acquired before the Windows 7 End of Support.
“While 2024 is expected to remain a challenging year for the PC industry, new technologies such as on-device artificial intelligence (AI), as well as an anticipated rebound in consumer demand and an increase in commercial renewals are expected to lead to 7.9% growth in 2025, as consumers and businesses start refreshing the devices purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Maciek Gornicki, senior research manager, Devices Research, IDC Asia/Pacific.
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