MARKET intelligence firm International Data Corporation (IDC) said the personal computer (PC) market in the Philippines fell 24.2 percent year-on-year due to the sharp decline in government purchases.
Speaking on ANC’s “Market Edge,” IDC Associate Research Analyst Roben Dispo said government purchases may have fallen because it takes some time to look for PCs with some technical specifications that fit a certain budget, and to check supplier qualifications.
But Dispo noted that desktop PC purchases from the private sector also went down because of the rise of remote work arrangements.
“The substantial portion of industries shifted their presence towards remote work setups also, which affected the demand for those desktop setups known for the traditional offices,” he explained.
“To top it off, the macroeconomy wasn’t doing so well, leading to the companies just saving for the moment,” he added.
The researcher said they expect demand for PCs to climb this year as computers bought during the pandemic turn three or four years old.
PCs are usually replaced after three or four years, he noted.
“For 2024 we do expect a huge rebound for this year with a 26.5 percent (increase) compared to 2023. Now the main driver would be because of the recent (Department of Education) computerization program deals.
He noted, however, that PC prices may increase by the end of the year as artificial intelligence (AI) features are embedded into them.
“For now, brands don’t have the features but they are planning to release by late of 2024 or early of 2025. We do expect the increase of price points because of those components,” he said. (ABS-CBN News)
