Gadget trends: PC shipments in EMEA return to growth in 2Q14

According to International Data Corporation (IDC), PC shipments in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) reached 21.9 million units in the second quarter of 2014 — a 10.5% increase year on year and a clear return to growth after seven quarters of consecutive decline.

As in the previous quarter, Western Europe drove most of the regional growth, with shipments supported by strong enterprise renewals, which led to an overall 25% increase in the PC market.

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) remained impacted by the unstable political and economic situation in Russia and by currency fluctuations; as forecast, CEE declined by 13.2%. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) posted a modest 1.9% increase in shipments. In line with those trends, portable PC shipments in EMEA returned to growth (up 8.3%), while desktop PC shipments increased 14.1%.

The increase in total EMEA shipments indicates a rebound in the market but not a recovery as volumes remain below the 25 million unit mark of the peak periods in 2010 and 2012.

PC shipments in Western Europe have continued to benefit this quarter from ongoing renewals in the SMB space following the end of Windows XP support. Commercial demand remained strong as business confidence stemming from an improving macroeconomic outlook contributed to corporate renewals.

Top 5 Vendors: Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) PC Shipments* 2Q14 (Preliminary) (000 Units) 

Commercial PC shipment growth in Western Europe reached 26.9% — clear confirmation that PCs remain key productivity tools in the enterprise environment. At the same time, the rebound in consumer shipments accelerated and some markets, including southern Europe, returned to levels of business close to their capacity. Shipments in Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands took off, with sell-in up by more than 40%.

“The PC market in the CEMA region reported a contraction of 6% year on year,” said Stefania Lorenz, associate VP, IDC CEMA. “The CEE region, in line with forecasts, recorded an annual decline of 13.2%. The region was affected by the expected contraction from the Eastern countries: Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Russia and Ukraine suffered mostly from a slowdown in consumer demand, affected by the instability in both the economic and political situation, as well as high unemployment and a salary freeze. Kazakhstan remains affected by the dramatic currency devaluation, which is not expected to improve in the short term.”

Vendor Highlights

HP demonstrated clear leadership and posted impressive growth of more than 27% in EMEA, with Western Europe the fastest-growing subregion.

Lenovo‘s expansion across EMEA has been very significant this quarter with a share increase of almost 5%, a clear winner from a market consolidation perspective.

Acer regained third place in 2Q14 and climbed one position in the ranking in comparison with 1Q14. The vendor outperformed the market, driven by Western Europe and the Middle East and Africa.

Dell had a softer quarter compared to previous quarters, performing in line with the market on the commercial side but missing out on the consumer volume rebound due to its weaker presence in the segment.

ASUS also performed above market average and retained fifth place. The vendor’s ramp-up in the desktop area has enabled it to gain market share in the region, but portable PCs remained the main contributor to ASUS shipments.

Apple ranked sixth, benefiting from the more positive consumer dynamics and outlook in Western Europe. Toshiba, in seventh place, focused on certain market segments, which resulted in some challenges for the vendor. Fujitsu posted very solid growth of more than 25% and ranked eighth. MSI entered the top 10 and took ninth place. Samsung closed out the top 10 ranking in EMEA with another quarter of decline due to disinvestment from entry-level portable PCs and a switched focus on Chromebooks and high-end ultra-books.