IDC forecasts the WW PC market will grow by 5% Y-o-Y in 2012, a "challenging year" with shipments reaching 383 million units amidst intense competition from mobile devices, global political uncertainty and bumpy economic roadmaps.
Headwinds from the Euro crisis are even affecting the outlook for emerging markets, including CEMA territories.
Mature regions such as W. Europe also face rising consumer saturation-- most consumers and businesses already have PCs, and see no reason to upgrade or expand their devices.
Will Windows 8 help reinvigorate a tired consumer market? Perhaps, but questions remain pending regarding release dates, functions and pricing, limiting the contribution the new OS may make in 2012.