Gartner: Zahl der weltweit genutzten Computer durchbricht erstmals die Milliarden-Grenze

Gartner: Zahl der weltweit genutzten Computer durchbricht erstmals die Milliarden-Grenze  

Laut dem IT-Marktforschungs- und Beratungsunternehmen Gartner hat die Zahl der in Gebrauch befindlichen PCs weltweit die Schallmauer von einer Milliarde Geräten überschritten. Die jährliche Wachstumsrate liegt laut Gartner bei knapp 12 Prozent. Wenn dieses Wachstum anhält, wird bis zum Jahr 2014 die 2 Milliarden-Grenze erreicht.

„In entwickelten Märkten wie den USA, Westeuropa oder Japan sind derzeit 58 Prozent aller PCs weltweit in Gebrauch, diese Länder stehen jedoch nur für 15 Prozent der Weltbevölkerung“, sagt George Shiffler, Research Director bei Gartner. „Der große Unterschied zwischen Entwicklungsländern und den gesättigten Märkten, sowohl bezüglich der Lebensstandards als folgerichtig auch der Anzahl der genutzten PCs wird sich aufgrund der rasanten wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung in manchen der Entwicklungsländer weiter verkleinern. Wir gehen davon aus, dass sich die Zahl der in Gebrauch befindlichen PCs in den Entwicklungsländern bis zum Jahr 2013 verdoppeln wird. Die Hauptgründe hierfür liegen in der stark ansteigenden Verbreitung von Breitband- und Wireless-Verbindungen, dem fortlaufenden Preisverfall bei Computern sowie der sich durchsetzenden Überzeugung, dass ein PC ein unverzichtbares Hilfsmittel für Fortschritt ist.“

Gartner Says More than 1 Billion PCs In Use Worldwide and Headed to 2 Billion Units by 2014

Analysts to provide more detailed analysis on the state of the PC industry at the Gartner Hardware Briefing, June 25, in Egham, UK

STAMFORD, Conn., June 23, 2008 — The number of installed PCs worldwide has surpassed 1 billion units, according to Gartner, Inc. Gartner analysts estimate the worldwide installed base of PCs is growing just under 12 per cent annually. At that pace, it will surpass 2 billion units by early 2014.

Gartner defines the installed base of PCs as the estimated number of PCs in use as opposed to the number shipped over a given a period, which is reported in Gartner’s PC forecast and market share reports.

The world’s installed base of PCs remains heavily concentrated in mature markets. However, emerging markets will claim an increasingly larger share of the world’s installed base as the rapidly rising PC penetration in emerging markets continues to drive strong double-digit PC growth.

“Mature markets such as the United States, Western Europe, and Japan currently account for 58 per cent of the world’s installed PCs, but these markets only account for 15 per cent of the world’s population,” said George Shiffler, research director at Gartner. “There’s a startling difference in per-capita PC penetration between mature and emerging markets. Of course, much of this difference reflects the disparity in average living standards between mature and emerging markets. But, rapid economic development across emerging markets is not only narrowing the disparity in average living standards, it's closing the difference in per-capita PC penetration between mature and emerging markets.“

“We expect per-capita PC penetration in emerging markets to double by 2013,” added Mr Shiffler. “Rapid penetration in emerging markets is being driven by the explosive expansion of broadband and wireless connectivity in these markets, the continuing fall in PC average selling prices (ASPs), and the general realisation that PCs are an indispensable tool for advancement.”

“Emerging-market governments are also increasingly committed to reducing the digital divide by promoting PC use among their citizens through a variety of means, including providing PCs directly to the less affluent,” said Luis Anavitarte, research vice president at Gartner. “Whereas mature markets accounted for just less than 60 per cent of the first billion installed PCs, we expect emerging markets to account for approximately 70 per cent of the next billion installed PCs.”

The global PC installed base is constantly being churned as PC users replace their used machines with new ones. Some retired PCs find their way back into the installed base to second owners through various channels, some are broken up and recycled, but others are simply dumped directly into landfill.

“We forecast just over 180 million PCs — approximately 16 percent of the existing installed base — will be replaced this year,” said Meike Escherich, principal research analyst at Gartner. ”We estimate a fifth of these, or some 35 million PCs, will be dumped into landfill with little or no regard for their toxic content. The disposition of retired PCs has become a high-profile issue for many PC vendors, governments and environmental interest groups. It will become an even more pressing issue, especially in emerging markets, as the number of retired PCs grows with the continuing expansion of the PC installed base.”

Analysts will provide more detailed analysis on the state of the PC industry, as well as analysis on server and printer markets, during the Gartner Hardware Briefing June 25 at the Gartner UK headquarters in Egham. Analysts will be available for one-on-one interviews during the event. Members of the media can register for the briefing by contacting Holly Winter at [email protected], or by calling +44 1784 267738