PC Sales Slump As The Supply Chain Goes Slack

The PC Is Dead … Again, Yadda Yadda

It comes as no surprise that all major computer suppliers have seen a downturn in shipments and sales the first quarter of 2020 but it is interesting to see the actual numbers.  There was a sharp spike in sales of laptops as people transitioned to working from home to help offset the numbers, but at the same time the factories which make the components have been shut down which means little to no supply has been shipped to replace the sold out models.

The three major bodies which track sales, Canalys, IDC and Gartner don’t completely agree on the percentage drop but all measure a drop in shipments of just over 50 million units.  When looking at the total drop in percentage of shipments the number varies from 8-12.3%, depending on what products they include in their totals. 

Off all of the providers only Dell was able to maintain their previous levels, though even they have seen interruptions in replacement parts and peripherals.  Apple was hardest hit with a 20% drop, and in their case you can’t blame part of the decrease on the decline in sales of Windows 7 replacement machines.  The Register has more detailed breakdowns which you can see here.