Based on latest results from International Data Corporation (IDC), the total client device market (PC and tablet combined) grew 7% in the U.K. in 3Q13 supported by continued demand for tablets. On the other hand, the traditional PC market declined 20.3% in September year on year and 15.4% for 3Q13 compared with the same quarter last year.
“September PC shipments in the U.K. showed a steeper decline than July and August compared with the same month in 2012,” said Catherine Lowry, research analyst at IDC, “due to an unfavorable year-on-year comparison with Windows 8 driving larger volumes in 2012. Windows 8.1 and Haswell platforms and new slimmer form factors generated interest among end users but did not have a significant impact on shipments in 3Q for the majority of PC manufacturers.”
The consumer PC market remained weak in the U.K. in 3Q13, declining year on year by 30.2% as slow demand for PCs has led to caution in the retail channels to avoid high volumes of stock. Whereas vendors have brought to market new attractive product portfolios, which have supported sales during the back-to-school season, the overall market remained in decline.
Top 5 Vendors: U.K. PC Shipments, 3Q13 (000 Units)
| Vendor | 3Q13 Shipments | 3Q13 Market Share | 3Q12 Shipments | 3Q12 Market Share | 3Q13/3Q12 Growth |
| Hewlett-Packard | 575 | 25.4% | 562 | 21.0% | 2.3% |
| Dell | 348 | 15.4% | 363 | 13.5% | -4.1% |
| Lenovo | 286 | 12.6% | 233 | 8.7% | 22.8% |
| Apple | 234 | 10.3% | 242 | 9.0% | -3.2% |
| Acer Group | 208 | 9.2% | 276 | 10.3% | -24.8% |
| Others | 613 | 27.1% | 1,001 | 37.4% | -38.7% |
| Total | 2,264 | 100% | 2,677 | 100% | -15.4% |
The commercial segment held better in 3Q, with growth of 1.5% from the same period in 2012. While companies maintain cautious spending, business confidence has picked up in the U.K. Many large enterprises as well as some SMB companies are pushing ahead with PC refreshes that had previously been delayed and are opting for higher-end models such as ultraslim and convertible notebooks. The back-to-school season supported some volumes in the education sector, although budget constraints continued to impact decisions.
Looking into vendors’ performance in the PC market, HP held the top spot with strong results in the commercial segment and outperformed the market in the consumer space. Dell’s strong performance across desktops and notebooks kept it in second place. Closing the top 3, Lenovo had a very successful quarter with strong growth in both consumer and commercial segments..
“The desktop PC market returned to positive trends in the third quarter with year-on-year growth of 6.6%, driven by the uptake in the commercial space, while portable PC shipments remained in sharp decline for yet another quarter, down 25.8% from the same period last year,” said Lowry.
The demand and budget shift toward tablets continued to be evident and impact the consumer mobile space. Accordingly, during the third quarter, 2.6 million tablets shipped in the U.K., more than the total desktop and portable volume combined. The U.K. remains the largest and leading market in terms of tablet sales in Europe.
Tablets continue to drive consumer spending in 3Q, although growth was slower than in previous quarters, at 38.7% year on year, with many of the large vendors not releasing new models until the fourth quarter in time for the holiday period. Apple maintained the top spot and a clear leading position in the U.K. while preparing the release of new products for the Christmas season. Samsung almost doubled its shipments year on year and gained market share. Amazon.com Inc. also had strong growth in the third quarter, supported by aggressive promotions, ahead of the release of new models in 4Q.
Top 5 Vendors: U.K. Tablet Shipments, 3Q13 (000 Units)
| Vendor | 3Q13 Shipments | 3Q13 Market Share | 3Q12 Shipments | 3Q12 Market Share | 3Q13/3Q12 Growth |
| Apple | 933 | 35.5% | 866 | 45.7% | 7.8% |
| Samsung | 414 | 15.7% | 221 | 11.7% | 87.1% |
| Amazon.com Inc. | 367 | 14.0% | 161 | 8.5% | 127.2% |
| ASUS | 280 | 10.6% | 334 | 17.6% | -16.3% |
| Acer Group | 69 | 2.6% | 5 | 0.3% | 1,232.7% |
| Others | 565 | 21.5% | 307 | 16.2% | 84.3% |
| Total | 2,628 | 100% | 1,894 | 100% | 38.7% |
IDC analysts expect the fourth quarter of 2013 to see a surge in tablet shipments as they hit the shelves in time for the Christmas season. Both A-brands and white-box vendors that offer cheaper options for the younger target market will benefit from the increased seasonal volume. Portable PCs are expected to remain relatively restrained, affected by the budget shift to tablets which will undoubtedly drive a large part of consumer spending and overall client device growth in the UK over the holiday period.
