San Jose, California April 15, 2008 -- The PC industry is highly volatile and is characterized by strong competition, pricing pressures, changing customer preferences, rapid technological developments, competition from well established high-tech and electronics companies and continuous disputes over intellectual property and antitrust issues. With a large number of competitors, the market is characterized by price pressures from competitors and price sensitiveness on part of the customers. Robust growth in the desktop and notebooks segments continues to fuel the global PC market. Demand for notebooks has also increased mainly due to lower pricing, wireless capabilities, and the increasing need for mobility.

Frequent product launches, changing industry standards, and high level of price competition in the PC market has resulted in short product life cycles and frequent reduction in selling prices. Despite high growth rates in recent years, the market has not stabilized and is sensitive to decline in sales or sales growth. Manufacturers constantly face the risk of excessive inventories, due to the unpredictability of market conditions.

Europe is the largest regional market in terms of unit shipments with an estimated share of 28.5% in 2007 while Asia-Pacific is projected as the fastest growing market over the next 4 years. PC Shipments in the Unites Sates totaled an estimated 66.66 million units in 2007 and are projected to exceed 82.8 million units by end of the year 2012.

Desktop PCs constitute the largest product segment in terms of unit shipments with an estimated share of 55.1% in 2007 while Notebook PCs are projected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 18.04% over the years 2000 through 2010. Easing prices, shrinking performance gap in relation to desktops, increased access through retail channels and enhancing wireless connectivity continue to drive notebook PC sales. PC server shipments are projected to exceed 17.5 million units by 2012, as against an estimated 9.6 million units in 2007.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) reclaimed the No. 1 slot in 2007 in the Worldwide PC market in terms of unit shipments, trailed by Dell. A strong performance in both consumer and business PC segments in almost all regional markets fueled a shipment growth at HP, overriding a spying scandal on its board of directors, which resulted in the resignation of chairwoman, Patricia Dunn in 2006. An accounting investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission only added to Dell's profit performance woes in 2006. Cost cutting strategies aimed at bolstering market share eroded the company's profit margins in United States, its No. 1 market.

Aided by acquisition of Gateway, Acer currently ranks third in terms of unit shipments, overtaking Lenovo in 2007. Companies such as Dell and Acer have employed new sales distribution channels. Dell recently commenced selling through giant retail chains. Drastic retail expansion propelled Dell's volume sales in consumer segment while channel partnership initiatives boosted commercial segment.

"Personal Computers: A Global Strategic Business Report" published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., analyzes the global market with hard-to-find data and analytics for key regional markets such as the United States, Japan, Europe and others, alongside up and coming markets such as Asia-Pacific and Latin America. The report provides a comprehensive review of market trends and issues, drivers, business profile, players, competitive landscape, recent developments, mergers, acquisitions, alliances, product launches and other strategic industry activities. Analytical estimates and projections are presented in terms of unit shipments over the years 2000 through 2010, along with long-term projections over the years 2011 through 2015. Product segments independently analyzed include Desktop PCs, Notebook PCs, and PC Servers.

For more details about this research report, please visit http://www.strategyr.com/Personal_Computers_Market_Report.asp.

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