17/02-04   -   Pressmeddelande

Record-Breaking Year for Nordic PC Shipments, Says IDC

After five years of negative or negligible growth, the Nordic PC market grew 12% in 2003 to more than 3 million PCs, according to latest figures from IDC.

2003 started slow, but demand picked up significantly in the autumn. The lifting of budget constraints by companies and strong consumer confidence led to long-awaited recovery in the market, and with 3.1 million PCs shipped, the market recorded its best performance since 1998.

The main driver was price, with the average cost of a PC falling 25% over 2002 to an all-time low. As a result, the value of the market decreased, even though portables´ share increased. One in every three PCs shipped is portable, and this is another record. There are several reasons for this: the general trend towards "mobility," improved performance, and a price mark-up of just 10% to 15% compared to desktops.

With the upturn in the market, IDC expects the pressure on prices to ease off. The current growth will also slow, as the market is going through a replacement cycle, as it did in the countdown to 2000. However, the move to portables will continue and they are likely to become the preferred form factor in the next three to five years.

To purchase IDC´s Nordic PC Tracker (IDC #510300), please contact one of the following:
Andreas Lange, Denmark, +45 39 16 22 43
Pelle Hallberg, Norway, Sweden, and Nordic, +46 8 751 0415
Pipsa Ylä-Mononen, Finland, +358 9 8770 4654
Alternatively, please visit www.idc.com.

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 more information:
Anders Elbak
+45 39162222
aelbak@idc.com