Sales of personal computers plummeted 14 percent in the first quarter of 2013 - the worst drop in nearly 20 years according to a new report from International Data Corp. The findings are a bit breathtaking as even the firm that produced the data forecasted a drop of just 7.7 percent.
The industry as a whole sold just 76.3 million PCs during the first three months of this year. For comparison, nearly 353 million PCs were sold in 2011 - a figure that we won't even get close to this year.
The PC industry has been suffering for quite some time thanks to the rising popularity of tablets and smartphones. No company - large or small - is impervious to the effects as even big time players like HP have been struggling to restructure their business accordingly.
Roger L. Kay, founder and president of Endpoint Technologies Associates, said the one message here is to go faster - referring to companies that are trying to transition to tablets and smartphones. He noted that some companies will only get half way through the transition process and that some will ultimately go bankrupt.
It all started around 2011 when the industry grew just two percent that year. Many hoped Windows 8 would help the slumping sales but that never happened. It's been downhill ever since.
If there's a shining light in it all, it's for the consumer. Pricing is expected to drop as much as 30 percent over the next few months as manufacturers want to unload inventory before pushing new products starting in June.