PC market grows 16 percent in fourth quarter

The global PC market fell on hard times during the latter half of 2011, as floods in Thailand disrupted many aspects of the industry's supply chains and manufacturing processes. Despite the troubles, the overall market managed to grow 16 percent during the fourth quarter, according to research firm Canalys.

This figure includes traditional technology like desktop, netbook and laptop PCs, as well as red-hot tablet computer sales. When excluding the tablet, the PC market dipped by 0.4 percent.

Canalys reports that Apple® took the top spot in the market, shipping 15 million tablets and 5 million computers. Lenovo® is the only other top-five PC vendor that increased its market share, growing 2 percent year over year during the quarter.

Though the flooding in Thailand has subsided, Canalys notes that the full impact has not yet been felt. Further woes may be destined for early 2012, including shipment disruptions and a lack of supplies.

In a separate report, research firm Gartner also predicts sluggish growth for the 2012 PC market. Excluding tablets, Gartner says the market will expand by 10.9 percent during the year.