Visit our other websites:    On CE ... eSP ... Mobile Channels ... ECI news ... rAVe Europe ... Digital Signage News EMEA

Gartner: Flat Device Shipments for 2017!

E-mail Print PDF

Gartner has no good news for the year in the global device market-- combined PC, tablet, ultramobile and mobile phone shipments appear destined to remain flat, reaching 2.3 billion, the same amount as 2016 estimates.

Gartner device forecast

In addition, traditional device shipments are only projected to start growing in 2018, thanks to a "small increase" in ultramobiles and mobile phone shipments. The PC market will see a replacement cycle by 2018 to return to some growth, thanks to attractive premium ultramobile functionality and price points. In the meantime smartphones will also grow, if through customers in emerging markets replacing what is essentially their main computing device.

"As well as declining shipment growth for traditional devices, average selling prices are also beginning to stagnate because of market saturation and a slower rate of innovation," the analyst adds. "Consumers have fewer reasons to upgrade or buy traditional devices. They are seeking fresher experiences and applications in emerging categories such as head mounted displays (HMDs), virtual personal assistant (VPA) speakers and wearables."

The sale of emerging devices sounds good and all, but Gartner warns these require a shift from the hardware-focused approach-- instead a richer value-added approach is required, since service-led approaches are becoming increasingly crucial. As a result vendors need to team up with service providers, since they lack the expertise to deliver service offerings themselves.

Go Gartner Forecast PCs, Ultramobiles and Mobile Phones WW 2013-2020 Q4 2016 Update