The FINANCIAL — After several quarters of notable decline, the worldwide hardcopy peripherals market showed encouraging signs of recovery in the second quarter of 2013 (2Q13). The market experienced its smallest year-over-year decline in unit shipments (-1.8%) since the fourth quarter of 2011, according to the latest data from the International Data Corporation (IDC).
The 26.1 million units shipped in 2Q13 suggest a relatively stable hardware market opportunity. In addition, IDC quantified the total 2Q13 market value at $13.8 billion, which is a decline of just -1.7% year over year.
Underlying this market stability, 2Q13 marks the first quarter since the fourth quarter of 2010 where the two largest markets, the United States and Western Europe, both saw positive year-over-year growth in unit shipments, 1.4% and 3.9%, respectively, according to IDC.
While the total worldwide hardcopy peripherals market experienced a small decline in 2Q13, IDC is optimistic about the segments demonstrating growth opportunities. In particular, the higher speed monochrome speed segments (31-44 ppm and 45-69 ppm) and the total color laser market are driving the best growth prospects for the worldwide hardcopy peripheral market.
"We anticipate that initiatives such as managed print services and wider availability of digitally-based content will continue to gradually shift hardcopy peripheral devices away from the desktop and toward more shared and centralized machines. As such, vendors who concentrate on these opportunities should find the best payback for future hardcopy peripheral unit and value shipments," said Phuong Hang, Program Manager, Worldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker.
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