Global PC sales have been declining for quite some time, and despite the release of Windows 10, it doesn't appear as if this trend will end anytime soon.
According to a report from the International Data Corporation, global PC sales should decline by 10.1 percent this year and a possible 3.1 percent slide in 2016. The market is estimated to stabilize come the end of 2016 when it should experience modest growth thanks to Windows 10 and the many supported devices.
Such a slide would mean the global PC sales would have been on a downward spiral for the last five years, and many believe it has a lot to do with Windows 8, and that consumers are moving away from the PC to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Another factor could be that most consumers are not giving up on their PC, but they are making it so that it lasts longer.
"Despite the substantial shift in spending and usage models from PCs toward tablets and phones in recent years, very few people are giving up on their PC — they are just making it last longer," said Loren Loverde, Worldwide Tracker Forecasting and PC research's vice president. "The free upgrade to Windows 10 enables some users to postpone an upgrade a little, but not indefinitely."
The free upgrade to Windows 10 might force some consumers to hold out on upgrading for quite some time, possibly until their computer begins to show signs of life's end.
The release of Microsoft's latest operating system, together with the latest line of Surface devices, is aimed at getting consumers excited to use the operating system again, but that might not be enough if OEMs are still releasing conventional devices to the public.
Also, the two in one device such as the Surface Book could be a catalyst to grow PC sales. Users will no longer require purchasing two computers when these devices can work as a laptop and as a tablet when needed.
In the end, time will tell if this works out because it depends a lot on the OEMs since the Surface Book is aimed at the high-end spectrum.
