05/09-03   -   Pressmeddelande

Consumer Demand for Low-cost Portables Leads the Nordic PC Market to Positive Growth, Says IDC

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, September 5, 2003 — Following a long period of very rough market conditions, the PC Nordic market finally displays genuine signs of recovery, as both consumers and businesses again acquire PCs, the most recent IDC research finds.

During the first half of 2003, almost 1.3 million PCs were sold in the Nordic region. This represents only slight growth compared to the same period in 2002, but as the number of PC home scheme shipments has dropped significantly, the "natural" market (total market minus the schemes) is healthier than it has been for a long time. The consumer segment continues to grow steadily, while the commercial one displays the highest growth since early 1999.

"One factor contributing significantly to the increase is the fact that companies cannot postpone PC replacements any longer. This means that the current growth in the commercial market will continue — and probably even speed up, as a large number of PCs acquired around the millennium change are now more than ready for replacement," said Anders Elbak, research manager with IDC Nordic.

The most noticeable change in the market is the demand for portable PCs. Compared to the first half of 2002, the market for portable PCs grew 27%, while the market for desktops declined 9%, and one in every three PCs is now a portable.

The primary reason for this strong performance is extremely low pricing, and today it is not uncommon to find a portable PC priced below €1,000 retail.

"The declining prices are partly a result of a lower dollar exchange rate, but several vendors have entered a full blown price war — putting additional pressure on prices. Low prices, however, are something that cut both ways: end-users benefit tremendously, but vendors´ profits deteriorate. If one measures the PC market performance in value rather than units, the picture is not as bright, as the market actually decreased approximately 20%. In spite of this, we believe that growing demand is a very positive sign, as it proves that both consumers and companies are again buying PCs, and several related markets are likely to follow," Elbak said.

The IDC study Nordic Quarterly PC Tracker (IDC# N510300K, August 2003) is available to purchase from your local IDC office, or at www.idc.com.

For additional IDC Nordic press releases, please see http://nordic.idc.com/press.

About IDC
IDC is the premier global market intelligence and advisory firm in the information technology and telecommunications industries. We analyze and predict technology trends so that our clients can make strategic, fact-based decisions on IT purchases and business strategy. Over 700 IDC analysts in 50 countries provide local expertise and insights on technology markets. Business executives and IT managers have relied for 40 years on our advice to make decisions that contribute to the success of their organizations.

IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world’s leading technology media, research, and events company. Additional information can be found at www.idc.com

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For additional information, please contact:

Anders Elbak
+45 39 16 22 48
aelbak@idc.com