PC market slackness that was hinted at by Advanced Micro Devices Inc., when it preannounced last week, has been confirmed by a new report that showed a sharp decline in shipments in the third quarter.
What Happened
Worldwide PC shipments plunged 19.5 percent year-over-year in the third quarter, preliminary results released by market research firm Gartner showed. This marked the steepest decline since the firm began tracking the PC market in the mid-1990s and was the fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year drop, it said.
“This quarter’s results could mark a historic slowdown for the PC market,” Mikako Kitagawa, director analyst at Gartner, said. The weakness seen in the third quarter was largely due to high inventory, given the weak PC demand in both the consumer and business markets, he said, adding that supply chain constraints have eased….