PC Market Is 'Solid'--AnalystsPC Market Is 'Solid'--Analysts

The general economic outlook may be sluggish, but the PC market is showing some life.

That's the word from market-analysis firm IDC, which is describing the market as "solid" this year and "growing" next year. It expects 1.6 percent growth in worldwide shipments in 2002 and 8.3 percent growth in 2003.

What's behind the numbers? The increased popularity of wireless networking, new hardware designs, and media convergence, IDC said.

Total PC shipments this year are expected to reach 136.2 million, still down 2.6 percent from the 2000 peak, IDC said. Growth will be slow in the first half of 2003 and accelerate in the second.

IDC expects improvements in the business and consumer sectors next year and beyond, although government spending will be slow to reflect reduced budgets. IDC projects shipment growth of 11 percent in 2004.