Global PC shipments jump 22 pc

SEATTLE: Market research group IDC says worldwide shipments of personal computers climbed 22.4 per cent in the second quarter.

That's half a percentage point less than predicted. The reason is slightly lower PC shipments in the US and Asia.

IDC credits businesses replacing aging computers and the popularity of low-cost PCs for the quarterly increase.

Hewlett-Packard Co. remained the top computer maker in the world, followed by Dell Inc. and Acer Group.

US consumer spending on PCs is slowing down, IDC believes, and big business spending on technology is picking up. That has helped Dell, which relies on businesses for much of its business, overtake Acer and reclaim the No. 2 spot.

PC makers shipped 81.5 million computers in the quarter.