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- Research firm Gartner said worldwide shipments of personal computers fell 7.7% to 73.7 million units in the third quarter, Reuters reported.
- Gartner said two factors may have contributed to the slowdown: a stronger dollar made PCs more expensive, while the launch of Windows 10 may have encouraged some people to upgrade PCs rather than replace them altogether.
- International Data Corp (IDC) had a slightly bigger number, saying shipments fell 10.8% to 71 million units.
Dive Insight:
Both Gartner and IDC analysts said they "see some signs for future stabilization and growth" in the PC market.
"The PC market continues to contract as expected, but we remain optimistic about future shipments," said Jay Chou, research manager at IDC.
Lenovo Group Ltd. remained the leading top global PC vendor, while Hewlett-Packard Co. remained the top shipper in the U.S., according to both Gartner and IDC.
PC sales began slowing a few years ago as consumers purchased tablets and smartphones instead. In July, Gartner said it did not expect the global PC market to recover until 2016.