MARKET WATCH - Steady growth for PCs in UK

Compaq leads the competition in desktop and server sectors. Toshiba maintains its premier slot in the notebook market.

UK DESKTOP SECTOR

etition in desktop and server sectors. Toshiba maintains its premier slot in the notebook market. Overall, the desktop PC sector continued to grow steadily. In the six-month period from July to December 1998, Compaq held a constant lead thanks to the success of its Deskpro models such as the Deskpro EP.

Hewlett Packard, meanwhile, increased market share. Channel offers ensured steady sales after previous problems with stock clearance. The Vectra range continued to sell well.

IBM followed close behind HP in December. Overall sales of IBM PCs were helped by price cuts of up to 19 per cent. Fujitsu grew steadily over the six-month period due to the success of its entry into the supermarket sector.

UK NOTEBOOK SECTOR

Toshiba continued as the number one vendor with almost 50 per cent market share. Unit sales of the Satellite 4000 increased by 75 per cent in December, while notebooks accounted for almost 60 per cent of all mobile PCs sold.

IBM's ThinkPad 600 was the leading mobile PC in the corporate sector.

Its market share in terms of value was more than double that of Compaq's Armada 1700. Compaq was third in December with 15 per cent market share.

Despite its low level of market share compared with the desktop sector, Hewlett Packard tripled its share in terms of year-on-year growth, due to the Omnibook range's success.

UK SERVER SECTOR

Compaq consolidated its number one position with more than half of the total market. Its success in December was attributed to its workgroup class server, the ProLiant 1600.

IBM registered strong growth in this area, thanks to the success of its Netfinity range and a more competitive pricing strategy.

Hewlett Packard and Siemens both lost market share, but HP's NetServer LCII achieved high sales figures in December as stocks were cleared.