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Lenovo
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Lenovo retains PC market lead as global shipments continue to decline

Computer giant is weighed down by slow growth in China, but eyes advantages from further industry consolidation

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Lenovo’s flagship bendable laptop, the Yoga 900, on display at the company’s annual results announcement in May in Hong Kong. Photo: Nora Tam
Bien Perez

Slowed down by lethargic demand in China, Lenovo Group barely held on to its spot as the world’s top personal computer supplier in the three months to September amid the industry’s eighth consecutive quarterly decline in global shipments.

Preliminary data published early on Wednesday by technology research firms IDC and Gartner showed Lenovo maintained a slight edge over HP in the third quarter when worldwide personal computer shipment volumes reached about 68 million units.

IDC estimated a 3.9 per cent year on year global decrease in shipments to 67.99 million units, while Gartner calculated a 5.7 per cent drop to 68.94 million.

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“There are two fundamental issues that have impacted PC market results: the extension of the lifetime of the PC caused by the excess of consumer devices, and weak PC consumer demand in emerging markets,” Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa said.

“Consumers in emerging markets primarily use smartphones or phablets for their computing needs, and they don’t find the need to use a PC as much as consumers in mature markets.”

There are two fundamental issues that have impacted PC market results: the extension of the lifetime of the PC caused by the excess of consumer devices, and weak PC consumer demand in emerging market
Mikako Kitagawa, Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa

Gartner estimated that shipments in mainland China, the world’s largest personal computer market, fell 4.8 per cent year on year in the third quarter. Shipments in the market slumped 6.4 per cent in the second quarter.

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