The Asia Pacific personal computer (PC) market is estimated to grow 20.3 percent to reach 114.6 million unit shipments in 2010, said Gartner.

 

According to the research house, spending on PCs in the region is forecast to grow 12.4 per cent in 2010, compared to only 2.9 per cent in 2009, due to a sharper decline in average selling prices for PCs in 2009.

 

Gartner expects China to represent 60 per cent of all PCs shipped in Asia Pacific and 19 per cent of PC shipments worldwide in 2010.

 

In 2009, PC unit growth was spearheaded by China and the South Asian Markets, said Gartner. China took 59 per cent of all PCs shipped in the region, up from 54 per cent in 2008, the advisory firm noted. In 2010, government stimulus programs, including stimulation of domestic consumption, helped to mitigate the adverse effect of the US and European recessions on these export-oriented economies, said Gartner.

 

PC shipment growth in China is expected to reach 22.1 per cent, said Gartner, adding that government and education segments will have the most stable demand in the professional market. 

 

The government announced early this year that it will try to increase education spending to four per cent of 2010 GDP and is focused on creating opportunities in schools and kindergartens using PCs, Gartner added.

 

In addition, the Chinese government is also looking inward in stimulating domestic consumption to drive China's growth and rely less on export-oriented growth. Therefore, the government can be expected to promote more entrepreneurship and initiatives to help small and midsize businesses become agile and productive, with the PC an integral tool in office productivity, the research house said.