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OK - who just bought a biz PC? Oh wait, none of you did

Economy not at fault - the world's gone mobile

A revival in fortunes for desktop makers evaporated this summer as shipments across Western Europe collapsed.

In each country across the region, sales out through distributors declined in July and August compared to the same months a year earlier. The latest stats show Finland reported the steepest decline, down nearly 23 per cent, but the UK was hit the least, falling 3.4 per cent.

Dear old Blighty did better than the rest because its large enterprises splashed their cash on upgrades, said Context analyst Nausica Rosina.

There have been pockets of growth in the desktop arena in recent years when all-in-one systems boosted the ailing sector - but clearly touchy tabs, smartphones and notebooks are gobbling spending by consumers and companies.

"The decline in desktop PC sales is not just driven by an overall economic situation but by the mobility needs of business professionals," said Rosina.

She added notebooks have the same power as the majority of desktops, and handheld gadgets can be personalised by biz users provided they can access an app store.

That said, notebook shipments in July and August fell 15.2 per cent so clearly the market was depressed across the board.

An all-in-one tech refresh by rebranders, including HP, is on the horizon which may give the desktop sector a much needed shot in the arm, said the Context bod.

Rosina claimed the average sales prices of all-in-one computers has fallen "significantly" and will drive touchscreen adoption in business, "an element of which will be at the core of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8". ®

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