Press Release

 

PC sales cross 7.3 million units growing 16%; Internet users exceed 52 million in 2007-08

 

New Delhi; July 08, 2008: MAIT, the apex body representing India's IT hardware, training and R&D services sectors, today announced the findings of its Industry Performance Review for fiscal 2007-08. The total PC sales between April 2007 and March 2008, with desktop computers and notebooks taken together, were 7.34 million (73.4 lakh) units, registering a growth of 16 per cent over the previous year. IT consumption in 2007-08 was led by significant growth in notebook sales, which grew by 114 per cent, while purchases of desktop units grew by only a percentage. Western and Southern India recorded maximum growth in PC consumption at thirty–nine per cent each. PC sales are projected to touch 8.5 million (85 lakh) units in fiscal 2008-09.  

Commenting on the findings of the study, MAIT Executive Director, Mr Vinnie Mehta said: "Notebook consumption has driven the PC market in India in 2007-08. With sales crossing a million units in the second-half of last fiscal, total sales of notebooks in 2007-08 surpassed 1.8 million (18 lakh) units growing one-hundred-fourteen per cent over the last year. Today, notebooks account for a quarter of the total PC market in the country, up from less than three per cent four years ago. With shifting consumer-preference in favour of notebooks over the desktop, this proportion will only get larger with time."  

He further added, "Although the sales to the large enterprises were less than expected, the overall consumption in the PC market was led by telecom, banking and financial service sectors, education and BPO/IT-enabled services, and the e-governance initiatives of the Union and the state governments. The southward trend in pricing for all IT products continued during the year due to technology reasons and also due to intense competition. Significant growth in the home market and steady consumption in the small and medium enterprises sustained the market in 2007-08."  

Western India followed by the south led PC consumption accounting for thirty-one per cent and twenty-seven per cent of the market respectively. Sales in both the West and the South grew by thirty-nine per cent each over 2006-07. PC consumption in the east increased by ten per cent accounting for seventeen per cent of the market, a reflection of heightened IT activities in the region. The northern states witnessed a decline of thirteen per cent in PC sales, they accounted for 25 per cent of the market.  

The bi-annual MAIT Industry Performance Review – ITOPs, conducted by India's leading market research firm IMRB International is a survey of the domestic IT market, its potential and   trends. This round of the study involved face-to-face interviews with over twenty-five thousand respondents selected randomly across twenty-two cities in India. The MAIT-IMRB study was initiated in 1996-97 and encompasses five broad product segments — computers, networking products, printers, other peripherals and Internet connections. Apart from the half-yearly review, a supply-side estimation module has also been introduced to monitor industry performance every quarter, alternating with the half-yearly review.

Emphasising the need for robust internet infrastructure to boost the domestic IT market, MAIT President, Mr Mukul Singhal added: "While the prices of PCs and other access devices in India are one of the lowest in the world, to sustain the domestic IT market, we need to strengthen our broadband infrastructure at a rapid pace. This calls for an early resolution of the last mile and spectrum allocation issues, without which we cannot have a virtuous cycle for domestic IT consumption. A robust broadband will usher in a slew of services, relevant applications as also content in local languages which will create the necessary pull-factor and further drive the IT products market."

Some of the salient findings of the MAIT Industry Performance Review 2007-08:

The Notebooks Market:

The Desktops Market:  

The Server Market:

The Internet entities:  

Definitions:

To download the entire presentation, visit: www.mait.com/downloads/maitann2008.zip  


About the study:  

ITOPS is a syndicated end-user based study on the IT hardware market conducted by the eTechnology Group of IMRB International. ITOPS has been an annual exercise since 1996-97 and for the last five years the study has been conducted on a bi-annual basis, as well. The study is based on over 24,600 face-to-face interviews with end-users spread over 22 cities, with data projected to the 'all India urban market'.

The MAIT-IMRB study involves data collection after the 'last mile' that the product travels, i.e. from the premise where the product is finally installed. It is therefore an accurate estimate of 'what' was bought, 'by whom', and for 'what purpose'. Since the MAIT-IMRB study is based entirely on data collected from 'users', it is able to accurately estimate the large unorganised market as well as direct imports. It does not suffer from shortcomings of estimates based on shipment or supply which in addition to under or over-counting, may also reflect biases in perception of vendors and resellers.  

With twelve consecutive years of ITOPS data, the study is now able to closely track emerging segments such as small offices, home users, first time buyers, etc. and identify the role of key drivers for purchase such as the internet. By virtue of tracking the installed base built over the years, and monitoring the extent of upgradation/ replacements taking place in the market, the study has been able to identify emerging business opportunities that promise to expand the market for IT products in India.

About MAIT:

Set up in 1982 for purposes of scientific, educational and IT industry promotion, MAIT has emerged as an effective, influential and dynamic organisation.  Representing IT hardware, training, R&D, and associated services in India, MAIT’s charter is to develop a globally competitive Indian IT Industry, promote the usage of IT in India, strengthen the role of IT in national economic development and promote business through international alliances.