A combination of unsettled currencies, inventory issues and operating system transitions are the factors being blamed for a larger-than-expected slump in PC shipments for the third quarter of 2015.
“The PC market continues to contract as expected, but we remain optimistic about future shipments,” said Jay Chou, research manager at IDC Worldwide PC Tracker, in a statement.
According to the survey, these lowering numbers are due to a bevvy of culprits. Vendors are attempting to soften price swings on PCs in the face of changes in currency exchange rates across the globe.
More consumers also chose to simply upgrade their existing PCs to the new Windows 10 operating system rather than purchasing new hardware, and lags in the official retail release of the new OS translated to fewer Windows 10 PCs available for consumer purchase (and fewer advertising opportunities as well).
“While PC shipments will be hampered in the short run by the availability of a free upgrade to Windows 10, the improved PC experience across user segments should drive longer-term demand for new PC hardware that is expected help stabilize the market in 2016 and beyond,” said Chou.
In spite of the dip in demand, the data research firm remained upbeat about results going into the end of the year, particularly around the release of the latest iteration of Intel’s Skylake processors.
“There is some hope in the fourth quarter,” said Linn Huang, IDC research director of devices and displays, in a statement. “New designs running Windows 10 and powered by Intel’s new Skylake processors are coming to market and may represent the most compelling reason we’ve had in years for consumers to upgrade their PCs. Whether this compulsion translates into actual sales remains to be seen.”