Worldwide PC shipments are projected to rise 12.6 percent in 2007 to 257.5 million units, according to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. This projection represents a slight increase from IDC's previous forecast which estimated growth of 12.2 percent this year. The rise in the number of units shipped is being led by notebooks with an expected 28 percent year-on-year increase, while desktop and x86 servers are projected to grow only 3.8 percent in 2007.

"The shift to mobility will continue to drive growth, as portable PCs are expected to represent more than 50 per cent of shipment value during 2007 and more than half of worldwide volume by 2009," commented Loren Loverde, director of IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.
Analysts' raised expectations were driven by strong growth in the Asia and Pacific region (excluding Japan) and are now expected to surpass Western Europe in total PC shipment volume in 2007 and should pass the US in 2009. Meanwhile, predictions for the US, Western Europe and Japan have been adjusted slightly downward as the focus of growth in the PC industry will be in emerging regions rather than developed markets, according to IDC.