Research Firm Expects All-in-One PC Shipments to Decline in 2014

[[Coi] Mr.CLuBBeR]

Was the push for all-in-one systems just a fad?

Poke your head into Best Buy and take a peek at the computer section. In it you'll find lots tablets, laptops (including hybrids), and all-in-one systems, along with a small selection of desktop towers. AIO PCs have been around for many years now, but only recently became popular, in part because of dropping prices. You have to think that the prominence of touchscreen displays helped matters too. However, at least one research firm believes AIO shipments will drop this year.
Digitimes Research projects a 2.4 percent year-on-year decline in AIO shipments in 2014 because enterprise and consumer buyers have both used their budgets to purchase conventional desktops. In addition, Sony has dropped out of the PC market, so there's one less vendor to feed the AIO sector.
As it stands, Apple and Lenovo are the top two vendors in the AIO category with a combined 60 percent share of the market. Other vendors, such as HP and Dell, have seen their share decline.
Time will tell if Digitimes Research is correct in its prediction, though if prices keep coming down, we suspect the allure of a space saving design will prevent AIOs from slipping into obscurity, if at all.
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