PC makers will ship 257 million PCs in 2009 with “mature” North American and European markets taking the brunt of the slowdown, according to Gartner.
Desktop PCs will lead the economic-inspired sales drop, falling nearly 32 percent. However, the drop in demand will boost sales of notebook computers, expected to increase 9 percent.
Netbooks, the segment of low-cost computers rapidly gaining steam, will see prices shrink even further. A Windows XP-based netbook selling for $450 now will cost just $400 by the end of the year, a report said.
In related news, Credit Suisse Monday forecast a 15.3 percent drop in PC sales this year, nearly triple its early expected 4.5 percent drop in demand.
As a result, Microsoft hovered near a decade low, falling to $16 per share in early trading. Stock of the software giant had not finished below $16 since 1997, Barron’s said.
