SMB XP migration drives commercial PC boom

Western European commercial PC market rockets more than a quarter year on year

The PC market burst into life again last quarter, according to IDC, which said the western European commercial segment saw shipments rocket by more than a quarter year on year.

Across the whole of EMEA, cumulative consumer and business PC shipments reached 21.9 million units in Q2, up 10.5 per cent annually – a welcome rebound following seven consecutive quarters of decline. Business PC shipments in western Europe were up a whopping 26.9 per cent over the period.

"Western European shipments were fuelled by low-end consumer notebooks," said Chrystelle Labesque, research manager for personal computing at IDC. "Even if the comparison is eased by a very poor second quarter of 2013, more attractive products at the right price points encouraged more consumers to renew their devices."

In April this year, Microsoft ended support for 12-year-old operating system Windows XP, rounding off an aggressive one-year campaign to encourage customers to migrate to newer operating systems.

IDC said the move breathed life into the PC market, especially in western Europe.

"PC shipments in western Europe have continued to benefit this quarter from ongoing renewals in the SMB space following the end of Windows XP support," it said. "Commercial demand remained strong as business confidence stemming from an improving macroeconomic outlook contributed to corporate renewals."