Vietnam PC Market to Jump 29 per cent in 2008

The Vietnamese personal computer (PC) market will jump about 29 per cent this year thanks to the country’s solid economic foundation and a growing awareness and interest in information technology (IT) among private and public sectors, global provider of market research IDC forecast.

 

Projects from the Treasury and local health care centers in southern provinces will push up demand from the government sector, said IDC market research analyst Pham Viet Tien.

 

“Lower PC prices and diverse product offerings will draw more consumers, who are looking for different product functions and eye-catching designs,” Tien added.

 

Tien, however, admitted that though GDP growth is high, drastic changes in the local stock markets, or even inflation, might hurt the PC market. The government has become ever more cautious about its IT upgrading plans after the 112 Project fiasco and may tighten its investments in PCs.

 

IDC’s ongoing quarterly tracking of the PC market in Vietnam recently said that the market grew 43 per cent in the first three quarters of 2007, compared to the same period last year.

 

Vietnamese are forecast to buy up to 320,000 laptops worth US$336 million in total in 2008 up from 180,000 units last year. (VNA)