Computer Graphics Chip Shipments Dive in Q4 ’08
Jon Peddie Research (JPR) today announced estimated graphics shipments and supplier market share for the fourth calendar quarter of 2008.GPUs are used in industrial and medical systems, point of sale terminals, kiosks, digital signs, and PCs. And, in the case of over one third of all PCs being shipped today, more than one GPU is being used Total shipments of GPUs for Q4’08 was 72.35 million. During the same quarter last year, 100.5 million GPUs shipped, and in the previous quarter, Q3 ’08, 111.26 million units shipped representing a 34% drop quarter to quarter and a -2% drop year over year. It isn’t good seeing a 34% drop in video card sales in Q4, but no big shocker with the hit the economy took in Q4 2008.
“The fourth quarter is usually a positive quarter for the computer industry. There has obviously been some inventory problems in the quarter as sales failed to live up to the optimistic expectations of the third quarter, 2008,” said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research in Tiburon California. “Vendors were bracing for a slower than usual quarter due to economic factors, but performance this quarter was surprisingly low. Put simply, the market stalled in the fourth quarter. Due to the worldwide financial market meltdown, the U.S. housing market meltdown, layoffs, and media reports, the consumer has hunkered down to wait out the storm. “We’re forecasting a strong Q3 and Q4 for 2009 and bracing for what will probably be the worst Q1 and Q2 decline we’ve seen since the Internet bubble pop of 2000.”
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