Gartner expects Windows device sales to rebound next year

Computer store news: Market research firm Gartner lowered its forecast for Windows device shipments this week for the second time, saying that although Windows device shipments are expected to appear next year Rebound, but the rebound rate will slow down. Gartner expects Windows share to fall 4.3% from last year's smart device shipments, more than double the 2% forecast four months ago.

Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi said in an interview, "low-end tablets are supporting the growth of the tablet market, and Microsoft has no low-end tablets." product. & rdquo; Milanesi's so-called "low end" refers to the low-cost tablet, which is a 7, 8-inch tablet.

Earlier this year, Gartner expects Microsoft and its hardware partners to be involved in small form factor tablets. But Gartner’s predictions have failed, or to a certain extent, have failed.

Windows device sales will bottom out in 2014, market share will grow by 9.7%, and shipments will reach nearly 367 million units. Gartner previously expected shipments of Windows devices to grow to 378 million units. The reason for the expected downgrade of Windows device shipments is that it is still “a minority” in the 8-inch tablet market.

Gartner expects Windows equipment shipments to grow 2.3% this year and will grow 12.2% next year.

Most importantly, data from the past two quarters shows that traditional PC business continues to shrink. Gartner now expects PC shipments to fall by more than 11% this year, and PC shipments will be reduced by about 8%, even with new products such as variants.

Milanese said that the basic problems of Microsoft have not improved in the past four months. Microsoft is too dependent on the shrinking traditional PC business — — accounted for 85% of Windows device shipments, Microsoft has not yet developed a practical strategy to increase the market share of smartphones and tablets.

Milanese said, "Consumers are not willing to buy high-end Surface tablets", Surface RT is a disaster, Microsoft was forced to write down $900 million in assets in July due to the slow sales of Surface RT. The Surface Pro 2 starts at $899. The Surface strategy dragged Microsoft back. Milanese said, "Ultra-portable products and hybrids are very attractive to users, and advertising expenditures are not cheap, but they have not brought a lot of money to manufacturers. ”

Compared with previous years, smartphone sales in the fourth quarter of this year will also be inferior. Milanese said, “Smartphones are clearly not the hottest Christmas gifts, and the hottest Christmas gifts are cheap tablets. ”

It’s not just Gartner that is pessimistic about the rebound in Windows device sales. Market research firm IDC expects global PC shipments to decline by 7.6% year-on-year in the third quarter, — sales fell for the sixth consecutive quarter.

Gartner predicts that smart device shipments will reach 2.3 billion units in 2013, with Windows devices accounting for 14.3%, and this number will rise to 14.6% next year. Apple will narrow the gap with Microsoft, this year's market share will reach 11.7%, and will rise to 13.6% next year. The biggest players in driving Apple's shipments of smart devices are smartphones and tablets. Android accounted for 38% and 45% of smart device shipments this year and next.

Market research companies such as Gartner and IDC have repeatedly delayed the timetable for Windows device sales rebounds. Milanese said, "Windows still faces a lot of difficulties", compared with Android and iOS, there are fewer applications, and Microsoft needs to solve this problem.