PC outlook remains subdued despite some gains in mature markets, says IDC

PC outlook remains subdued despite some gains in mature markets, says IDC: Worldwide PC shipments are expected to fall 6% in 2014, a slight adjustment from the previous forecast of negative 6.1%, according to IDC. Mature regions benefitted primarily from a recovery surge in Western Europe while other mature regions performed modestly above expectations in the first quarter of 2014. Emerging regions continued to see weak demand and difficult conditions, although the economic environment in Latin America had the largest impact. The impact to emerging regions - a cornerstone of long-term market stability - outweighed the short-term boost seen in mature regions. As a result, longer-term growth was lowered slightly (by less than a percent for 2015-2017), with 2015 at negative 1.6% on year with subsequent years still between 0 and negative 1% growth.