PC Sales Strong in 2010, Slowed in Q4: Was iPad a Factor?

Both of the analyst firms I use as the basis for my quarterly and annual PC sales data reports have issued preliminary findings for the fourth quarter of 2010, and for the year. And what both Gartner and IDC found is that PC sales grew strongly for the year, but not as fast as expected in the final quarter. Both also credited the rise of the iPad for the shortfall, although even the most optimistic iPad sales forecasts don't explain the difference.

Using averages of the company's figures, as always, we find that PC makers sold almost 350 million PCs in 2010—a 13.7 percent jump from the year before. Fourth-quarter PC sales were softer than expected, however, jumping just 4.3 percent to 92.8 million units.

Both firms say that while business PC sales grew steadily throughout 2010, consumer PC sales slowed slightly. And both raised the scary specter of Apple's iPad as the cause.

But was it?

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