Dell Takes Top Spot in Enterprise Client Device Shipments
Following a strong first half of the year and a mild contraction in the third quarter, the global thin and terminal client market deteriorated during the fourth quarter of 2014 (4Q14), declining -12% year over year, according to data released today by IDC. For all of 2014, worldwide shipments declined slightly (-0.2%), a weak comparison against Windows XP migration projects during 2013, which spurred more VDI adoptions, as well as the continued decline of terminal client deployments.
Dell took the number 1 position in 4Q14, the result of some key shipments in the Financial sector. HP and Centerm followed. NComputing, hampered by its financial troubles, faced conservative uptake from its channels and a drop to the number 5 position worldwide.
Worldwide Enterprise Client Device Unit Shipments, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, Fourth Quarter 2014
Vendors |
4Q14 Unit Shipments |
4Q14 Market Share |
4Q13 Unit Shipments |
4Q13 Market Share |
4Q14/4Q13 Growth |
1. Dell |
385,566 |
27.2% |
344,261 |
21.2% |
12.0% |
2. HP |
360,480 |
25.4% |
434,696 |
26.8% |
-17.1% |
3. Centerm |
153,425 |
10.8% |
148,577 |
9.2% |
3.3% |
4. Igel |
73,907 |
5.2% |
66,788 |
4.1% |
10.7% |
5. NComputing |
72,245 |
5.1% |
239,701 |
14.8% |
-69.9% |
Total Market |
1,418,402 |
|
1,620,595 |
|
-12.5% |
Source: IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Client Device Tracker, Q4 2014.
Beyond the top line numbers, there were some silver linings thin clients remained resilient, growing 4.6% for all of 2014, with the volume decline isolated to the terminal client market, which has seen continued deterioration. Secondly, mature markets also did well, growing 4.3% for 2014, where a number of trials have finally came to full deployments and companies increasingly see the improved experience and longer terms savings from deploying VDI.
Looking ahead, IDC expects Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) to reclaim the title as the biggest region for shipments in 2015, as a number of delayed projects in 2014 should resume. Mature markets are also expected to follow suit, growing along with Asia to take global shipments to nearly 6 million units in 2015.
"Although currency impacts and a faster-than-expected slowing of momentum from migrations earlier in the year resulted in a fourth quarter that was less than forecast, more and more IT decision makers are becoming increasingly comfortable with the concept and requirements of a successful desktop virtualization deployment, leading IDC to project steady growth ahead " said Jay Chou, Senior Research Analyst, Worldwide Enterprise Client Device Trackers at IDC.
