Sales of PCs may defy all predictions, says Intel CEO
The worldwide personal computer market is pulling out of its slump quickly and could defy predictions by growing this year, Intel Corp. CEO Paul Otellini said Tuesday.
Otellini’s comments at a conference on Tuesday were more bullish than many analysts have been. Market research firms IDC and Gartner have both predicted a year-over-year decline in PC shipments in 2009, which would be the first such drop since 2001.
Otellini said he expects PC sales to be "flat to slightly up" this year from last. He said the rebound is being fueled by the fact computers are "indispensable, something that people need in their daily lives."
"I think that the market is poised for a resurgence," he said.
Researchers at Gartner Inc. predict a 2 percent decline in PC shipments for 2009, though that’s better than a few months ago, when the group was forecasting a drop of 6 percent.
"Things are looking much better in the second half," Gartner research director George Shiffler said.
But Shiffler wasn’t quite willing to go as far as Otellini did. He expects second-half shipments to be flat from last year, not strong enough to push the entire year into positive territory.
"It wouldn’t surprise me if we did see positive growth, but that’s not our call at the moment," Shiffler said.