INDUSTRY PROFILE: PERSONAL COMPUTERS
A small, relatively inexpensive personal computer (PC) is designed to be used by one person, at home or in an office contains microprocessor components. This technology that is becoming less expensive with higher performance. In 2017, there were 262.5 million personal computers (PCs) sold worldwide, according to Gartner. The top four vendors represented 45 percent of PC shipments in 2011, while that number increased in 2017 to 64 percent, as a result of the further consolidation of the industry. Leading PC companies include HP, Dell, Apple, and Lenovo. Deloitte has noted that the technology industry is being disrupted by cognitive computing/AI, more and more data, cloud computing accessible via application programming interfaces (APIs) as well as apps that are becoming more user-friendly.
CUSTOMERS AND SEGMENTS
People in 21 emerging and developing countries reported to Pew researchers that they are purchasing smartphones and bypassing PCs. Ownership jumped from 45 percent to 54 percent over two years. Soon consumers will be able to use their smartphone as a PCs, with Jide’s Remix Singularity, Microsoft’s Windows 10 Continuum, and Samsung DeX. There are also many software-as-a-service applications that work on smartphones and tablets. 91 percent of people with more than $75,000 household income have PCs, compared to 50 percent of homes that have less than $30,000 USD. Only 29 percent of people with less than a high school degree own a PC, while 90 who completed college have one. In light of intense competition, PC marketers stride to appeal to their target demographics to a relevant brand promise.
BUSINESS MODELS AND PROMISES
Some enterprises identify core competencies that do not support brand promises made to customers, then change their business model. Look at Dell and HP. In 2002, HP put out a press release that said it “is planning additional outsourcing of its PC manufacturing facilities worldwide, in keeping with its longstanding strategy to decrease operations costs and improve profitability. This move will allow HP to take advantage of the flexibility and cost benefits associated with using non-dedicated factories.” Forbes contributor