Mainland giant retains market share in region even as shipments decline
Lenovo Group held on to its standing as Asia's top personal computer supplier in the fourth quarter last year, despite falling sales and the region suffering its first drop in quarterly computer shipments in a decade.
Hurt by weak demand in its core mainland market, the world's fourth-largest personal computer maker shipped 3.4 million units in the quarter to December to post a negative 4.4 per cent sales growth year on year, according to preliminary estimates from market research firm International Data Corp (IDC).
That was enough for the mainland technology giant to corner a 19.5 per cent market share during the period, almost the same as a year ago, to keep at bay chief rivals Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Acer, respectively, the world's top three personal computer vendors.
IDC estimated personal computer shipments in Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, slowed to 17.2 million units in the fourth quarter, falling about 14 per cent from the previous quarter and 5.3 per cent year on year.
However, analyst firm Gartner's estimates put personal computer shipments in the fourth quarter at 19.5 million units in the region, which resulted in 1.8 per cent growth.
