Thais are dumping desktops and nixing notebooks as smartphones and tablets overtake the market, according to sales figures studied by an IT marketing firm.
Last year’s total shipments of personal computers in Thailand experienced a double-digit decline for the first time in 14 years, with demand for both notebooks and desktops dipping drastically, according to International Data Corp., Thailand.
“2013 started with a weak consumer demand for PCs due to increasing distractions from tablets and smartphones,” said Jarit Sidhu, a market analyst for the firm, which predicts the PC market will continue to decline in 2014 as political turmoil and widespread street protests will soften demand during the first half of the year.
“The market has been resilient to political crises and natural calamities in the past years, but seeing the PC market performance in the last quarter of 2013 suggests that Thailand is no longer immune to shocks,” he added.
Despite slowdown in the first half of 2014, the company expects there will be a release of pent-up demand in both the consumer and commercial markets once the crisis is resolved.
Source: IDC
