In 2009, 1.816 million PCs were sold in Portugal, an increase of 11.8 percent compared to the 1.624 million units registered in 2008. The total numbers conceal, however, the fall in numbers in the second half of the year, namely the decrease of 35.9 percent in last quarter’s sales, according to IDC’s «EMEA PC Tracker 2009» report.
The consultant actually notes two moments «with very different dynamics» during 2009. The first semester showed a strong growth of 66.7 percent «driven by the e-school and e-school programs and the Technological Plan for Education».
Conversely, the last six months fell by 21.1 percent, as a result of the slowdown in school programs and the continued lack of confidence in the business market. «Not even the Christmas period, which was generally marked by strong consumption, contributed to the growth of the market», says Gabriel Coimbra, Research & Consulting Director of IDC Portugal, in a press release.
In the analysis by segments, notebooks continue to lead the national preferences, representing 81.8 percent of the total PC market. During the past year, notebook sales reached 1.486 million units, 11.8 percent more than 2008. In turn, the sale of desktops rose 11.7 percent, translated into 330 thousand units sold.
HP maintains leadership
According to the ranking of manufacturers, HP leads the national market for PCs (notebooks plus desktops) with 420,700 units sold. With a 23.2 percent market share, the company grew by 7.2 percent in 2009.
JP Sá Couto takes second place. With 412 thousand units sold, the assembler registered a growth of 115.6 percent in the last year and has a market share of 22.7 percent.
Toshiba occupies the third position with a market share of 16.8 percent, thanks to the 305.5 thousand units sold and a growth of 6.7 percent in 2009.
In fourth place comes Acer, which grew by 55.6 percent over the past year. In the 12 months of 2009, the manufacturer sold 195,600 PCs and currently has a market share of 10.8 percent.
By segments, JP Sá Couto is the leader in notebooks, having recorded a growth of 141.2 percent, followed by Toshiba, with an increase of 6.7 percent compared to 2008.
The third position in notebooks is occupied by HP, whose sales dropped 12.8 percent during the past year.
The same company leads the domestic desktop market, with 183,800 units sold in 2009, representing an increase of 52.3 percent. The market share now stands at 55.7 percent.
In the desktops only HP and Acer Group saw their sales increase during 2009. Acer, in the second position, grew 183 percent, with 29,200 units sold. JP Sá Couto, in the third position, registered a drop of 14.9 percent and Dell, in the fourth position, fell 37.6 percent compared to 2008.
