Shipments of personal computing devices including traditional PCs and tablets are expected to grow 2.6 per cent year over year in 2024 to 398.9 million units.
The tablet market is set to see a 7.2 per cent year-on -year growth, while the traditional PC market will remain flat with 261 million units shipped this year, according to US-based research firm International Data Corporation (IDC).
For traditional PCs, global markets excluding China are expected to grow 2.8 per cent in 2024. China’s economic situation is pressuring its traditional PC market, whereas its tablet market is slightly more resilient owing to Huawei’s performance within the Asian country.
“The first half of 2024 showed how aggressive some of the Android vendors have been in competing in the tablet market, maximising on the opportunities for sustainable demand for tablet devices in emerging regions such as Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan), the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and Central and Eastern Europe,” said Anuroopa Nataraj, senior research analyst with IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.
Nataraj suggests that the growth of tablets may slow as smartphones become more powerful and able to handle more intensive tasks. “Adoption rates [of tablets] are expected to climb in the short term as the market continues to evolve with newer tablet models with upgraded chips, larger screens, and connectivity. However, in the long term, growth potential for the tablet market remains flat, challenged by more powerful smartphones and limited functionality compared to PCs.”
Meanwhile, PCs are forecast to grow 4.3 per cent year-on-year in 2025 as the end of support for Windows 10 will likely drive a refresh cycle, especially among commercial buyers.
Apple could end up gaining market share during the upgrade cycle and could grow from 9.1 per cent in 2024 to 9.7 per cent in 2025 and 10.2 per cent in 2026 – as some businesses decide to migrate workflows to Macs.
While AI capabilities will remain crucial, the traditional PC market in North America, major countries in Asia/Pacific (PRC, India, Japan), and some Western European countries, will see immediate growth driven more by a desire to upgrade older devices, rather than consumers searching for specific AI functionalities on their devices.
“While AI has been a buzzword of late, it has yet to be a purchase driver among PC buyers,” said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager, Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers.
“Businesses certainly recognise the importance of AI though many struggle to see the immediate use case and instead are opting for AI PCs as a means to futureproofing. Meanwhile, consumers are yet to fully grasp the importance of an on-board Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and are likely to need more education or handholding from OEMs.”
Long term though, the market is expected to be filled with an onslaught of AI PCs. Already, just ahead of IFA 2024, Microsoft announced it was ending a period of exclusivity with Qualcomm for Copilot+ PCs, and announced the laptops backed by Intel’s new 200V processors and AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 series chips would receive Copilot+ features. That decision means more choice for consumers and corresponding drop in the overall prices of AI PCs making them even more attractive for those looking to upgrade their laptops.
