Desktops sales to fall in Q2: MAIT

NEW DELHI: Riding on increased affordability, better security features, sleek designs, mobility and exciting in-built accessories, Indians are increasingly opting for laptops (notebooks).

While notebooks sales have gone up by over 67% in Q1 of the current fiscal as compared to the corresponding period last year, the desktop market has remained stagnant. According to MAIT, the apex body representing the hardware, training and R&D services sectors of the IT industry, the desktop sales will fall further in the quarter-ending September 2008.

While desktops sold 13.9 lakh units in April - June 2008, the industry body says that this will fall to 11 lakh for the quarter-ending September 2008. On the other hand, notebooks sales are likely to increase further to cross the 7.4 lakh figure in the second quarter, MAIT added.

���Notebook consumption has driven the PC market in India in Q1 2008-09. With shifting consumer-preference in favour of notebooks over the desktop, this proportion will only get larger with time. Further, with a large number of vendors announcing ultra-portable PCs, the market is expected to become more exciting,��� said MAIT���s executive director Vinnie Mehta.



According to MAIT, India sold over 20 lakh PCs during the first quarter of 2008-09, up 17% when compared to the corresponding period last year. The increase in volumes have been driven solely by notebooks. Indians bought 6.1 lakh notebooks during Q1 of 08, when compared to 4 lakh last year. Put simply, notebooks now account for a third of the total PC market from less than 3% four years ago.

���The growth in sales of notebooks is primarily driven by the consumer and SME market, while the sales in large enterprises remains stagnant,��� said Lenovo general manager India, marketing, Prasanna Rai. Focused marketing initiatives by the vendors and celebrity endorsements have also ontributed to increased notebooks consumption in the country.

���With notebooks now being available at below Rs 25,000, they are increasingly finding their way into the homes and SMEs. High consumption in corporates, IT companies, financial institutes, educational institutes, self-employed professionals and the Government continues to drive the notebook market.

With falling prices, home users are now upgrading from desktop to notebook resulting in additional growth of the notebook market,��� added Mr Mehta.