How Did COVID-19 Affect the PC Industry?
COVID-19 has impacted the whole world, including the daily lives of citizens and the flow of businesses. One of the many major industries that has been taken by storm is the PC market, which has gone through a few drastic changes over the last few months.
While many industries and businesses have been struggling as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, it might seem surprising that PC demand has increased dramatically. Here’s why.
The Decline of the PC Industry
Until recently, the PC market was in decline. In fact, market analysts predicted in 2019 that by 2025, the PC industry would decrease from 262.5 million to 221.8 million at a growth rate of -2.8%. A major reason for the ongoing decline is the development of mobile technology and macro computing. As competition from mobile phones and tablets grows steeper, PCs are taking up less space and time in consumers’ personal lives.
The industry went into a greater decline during the first few months of 2019, when China, a major center for the manufacturing of PCs, went under lockdown because of the coronavirus outbreak. With PC manufacturing plants closing around the country, sales decreased further.
How Worldwide COVID-19 Concerns Have Revived the PC
The coronavirus hit China and started making its way around the world in early 2020. That’s when everything began to change. While a shortage of PCs ensued due to the factory closings in China, demand for at-home computers began to skyrocket. People around the world started looking to their electronic providers for PCs, and some market experts think this change could be a positive sign for the industry.
Now that more people than ever before are working, learning and entertaining themselves from home, there seems to be a sharp uptick in the number of people looking for computers. Those who are stuck at home need to keep their jobs and educations afloat while finding ways to stay occupied inside. As a result, people have been looking for gaming PCs, computer upgrades and other solutions they might not otherwise consider in their normal lives. For businesses, it’s been a race to keep up with the sudden increase in demand.
Preparing for the Future
It was only a few decades ago that personal computers became mainstream in everyday society. Today, people own tiny computers that can fit into the palms of their hands. Technology has come a long way and will continue to develop over time.
Meanwhile, analysts believe that in the long run, COVID-19 may have a positive impact on the PC market. Because businesses and campuses have been forced to implement more remote strategies over the last few months, it’s possible that these institutions will start looking into more long-term online methods.
Learn More About Industry Trends
If the coronavirus outbreak has taught us anything, it’s how important technology is to the growth and sustainability of our society. As industries embrace new technology and work to create more convenient, cost-effective processes, the PC market may continue to evolve long after COVID-19 has passed.
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