MEA Personal Computing Devices Market Down 5% in 4Q18
March 7, 2019 | IDCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
The Middle East and Africa (MEA) personal computing devices (PCD) market, which is made up of desktops, notebooks, workstations, and tablets, declined 5.0% year on year in Q4 2018, according to the latest insights from International Data Corporation (IDC). The global technology research and consulting firm's Quarterly PCD Tracker shows that shipments fell to around 5.6 million units for the three-month period.
"The biggest driver of demand in Q4 2018 was a massive delivery of over 600,000 tablets into Egypt's education sector, which saw the overall MEA market outperform previous forecasts for the quarter," says Fouad Charakla, IDC's senior research manager for client devices in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. "This deal helped prevent what would otherwise have been a sharp decline in overall shipments to the region. The regional market was also buoyed by the strong performance of PCs in Saudi Arabia and a significant notebook deal that took place in the UAE."
IDC's research shows that the biggest declines in Q4 2018 were seen in Turkey and the 'Rest of the Middle East' group of countries, comprising Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Palestine). "The weak exchange rate of the Turkish lira against other currencies continues to inflate the cost of imported goods, making computing devices expensive for the country's end users," says Charakla. "Meanwhile, Iran, which accounts for the largest share of 'Rest of the Middle East' grouping, continues to suffer under the weight of U.S. sanctions. These sanctions have made it difficult for organizations in other countries to trade with Iranian businesses, negatively impacting the supply of personal computing devices into the country."
The top three vendors in the regional PC market maintained their respective positions, with each of them gaining share on the corresponding quarter of 2017.
Looking ahead, IDC expects overall PCD shipments into the MEA region to total 19.5 million units for 2019 as a whole. Currency-related issues in both Turkey and the 'Rest of the Middle East' grouping will continue to inhibit demand in those countries. On the flip side, a number of large-scale education projects are under discussion in several countries across the region; however, given the uncertainty surrounding these projects in terms of timeline, volume, and financial challenges, IDC has not reflected most of the larger initiatives in its forecast.
Looking further ahead, the overall PCD market is expected to remain close to flat over coming years, with PCs experiencing very slow growth and tablets experiencing a gradual decline. Given the growing use of smartphones and the corresponding shift away from PCs and tablets, it is unrealistic to expect either segment to return to the shipment volumes seen several years ago.
About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company.
Suggested Items
ERI Brings AI and Robotics Driven ITAD Services to Northeast Region
10/25/2024 | BUSINESS WIREERI, the nation’s largest fully integrated IT and electronics asset disposition (ITAD) provider and cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company, now maintains eight state-of-the-art e-waste recycling facilities, including its state-of-the-art location in Holliston, Massachusetts.
Highlights of the ICT 50th Anniversary Symposium
10/24/2024 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007Why does it always rain when I attend these events? Temperatures were dropping, daylight was shrinking, and there were seasonal colour changes in wet hedgerows as I travelled to Gloucestershire for the 50th Anniversary Symposium of the Institute of Circuit Technology at Puckrup Hall near Tewkesbury in mid-October. It was a memorable occasion: Nostalgic for my contemporaries who remembered our industry at its most prosperous, technically outstanding in the quality and significance of presentations to an attentive audience of printed circuit professionals, and complemented by the sharing of ideas, information, and trade gossip within a friendly community at the evening gathering.
MKS’ Atotech and ESI to Participate at TPCA Show & IMPACT Conference 2024
10/23/2024 | MKS Instruments, Inc.MKS Instruments, Inc., a global provider of enabling technologies that transform our world, today announced that its strategic brands ESI (laser systems) and Atotech (process chemicals, equipment, software, and services) will showcase their latest range of leading manufacturing solutions for printed circuit board (PCB) and package substrate manufacturing at the upcoming 25th Taiwan Circuit Board Industry International Exhibition 2024 to be held at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center from 23-25 October 2024.
Koh Young Technology Showcasing its Inspection Solutions at electronica and SEMICON Europa
10/22/2024 | Koh Young TechnologyKoh Young Technology, the global leader in True 3D measurement-based inspection solutions, will demonstrate its award-winning inspection solutions at Messe München on November 12-15, 2024.
CACI Awarded $805 Million Task Order to Provide Engineering Support and Technology to U.S. Navy’s NavalX Office
10/22/2024 | CACI International Inc.CACI International Inc announced that it has been awarded a five-year task order valued at up to $805 million to provide engineering support and technology to the U.S. Navy’s NavalX Office under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center’s (DoD IAC) multiple-award contract (MAC) vehicle.