Asia-Pacific PC market to recover from SARS: IDC

According to the preliminary results of an IDC report, the Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) PC market totaled 6.5 million units in Q2 of 2003 - a 2 percent gain from the previous quarter and 12 percent higher than the same period one year ago.
Although the quarter got off to a rough start due to the SARS impact on retail sales in markets like Hong Kong, Singapore and China, the stemming of the epidemic due to stringent measures helped improve sales by the end of the quarter, IDC explains.

"SARS did not scar the Asian PC market as deeply as it could have during the quarter," said Bryan Ma, Personal Systems senior research manager, IDC Asia-Pacific. "We can breathe a sigh of relief, though the slow global economy remains a key barrier to a more significant recovery in the market."

As the effects of SARS faded, purchasing resumed in many countries in the region to meet the pent-up demand. Given that such buying already started before the close of Q2, IDC expects 2H of 2003 to be slightly softer than initially anticipated.