Researcher Gartner has backtracked on its forecast of declining personal computer sales, instead predicting modest gains globally.
Gartner now predicts worldwide PC shipments will total 298.9 million units this year, a 2.8 percent increase from 2008.

Gartner now forecasts PC sales to grow by 12.6 percent next year to 336.6 million units. In September it had forecast sales would fall two percent this year compared with last year (CDN, Sep. 24).

Shipments in Q3 were much stronger than expected, virtually guaranteeing positive growth this year, Gartner explained.

The market researcher is anticipating seasonally modest growth in Q4 this year, but because shipments were so weak in Q4 of 2008, it will appear strong.

Portable sales up 15pc

However, Gartner said the market value of PC shipments is forecast to fall by 10.7 percent this year compared with last year, dropping to US$217 billion.

PC shipment market value is expected to reach US$222.9 billion in 2010, a 2.6 percent increase over 2009.

Meanwhile mobile PC shipments are on pace to reach 162 million units in 2009, a 15.4 percent increase over 2008, and 196.4 million units in 2010, boosted by the popularity of mini-notebooks (netbooks). Desktop PCs shipments are expected to total 136.9 million units this year, down nine percent from 2008, and 140.2 million units next year.