Tablets, Wearables to Impact PC Sales in Emerging Markets: IDC

Emerging markets continued to struggle last year with a fall of 9.5 percent in PC shipments, IDC said.

The research firm has projected 4.7 percent decline in PC shipments in 2015, it said in a statement.

It has projected worldwide PC shipments to touch 293.1 million units this year, with emerging markets contributing 156 million units and mature markets accounting for 137.1 million units.

It said: "Continued political instability, commodity pricing pressures and currency devaluations in these regions have curtailed spending across a number of sectors, including public projects that provided a boost in recent years."

Competition from other devices such as phones, tablets, and wearable tech also pose an ongoing challenge to PC spending, it added.

Emerging regions are expected to see positive growth by 2017, and PC shipments are expected to touch 159 million units through 2019, from 163.7 million in 2014, IDC said.

Total PC shipments totalled 308.1 million units last year, with mature markets like the US and Europe accounting for 144.5 million units.