Bangalore: Indians bought 4.3 million personal computers in 2005. A booming demand from lay users saw the growth rate of consumer models cross 29 per cent — twice as fast as the corporate end of the business that barely registered 14 per cent, year on year. A survey released by technology monitor IDC (India) on Sunday, found the most excitement in the notebook end of the market: it logged a runaway growth of 148 per cent, and by year end, had notched sales of 4,74,000 units.

In spite of the year-long hype about the Janatha PC — a model priced below the supposed `lakshman rekha' of Indian affordability which is generally pegged at Rs. 10,000 — very few models on offer in this extra-cheap arena, were actually sold. They accounted for just 2 per cent of all desktop machines shipped. In fact, finds IDC, the so-called Rs. 10,000 PC ended up costing nearer Rs. 13,000 after taxes and freight and handling.... due to the `small print' in all those `Rs. 9,999' offers.

That may be one reason they sold in such small numbers. The other reason could be that to offer these prices points, manufacturers sacrifice too many features or specifications that the customer feels are necessary. The Government-sponsored `Mobilis' hybrid machine — a sort of laptop-desktop hybrid was announced with a lot of fanfare in mid 2006 at a similar price — but the project does not seem to have progressed beyond sample quantities.

The indigenous PC maker HCL is the top seller in both commercial and consumer desktops, followed by global brands, HP and Lenovo in the commercial arena; and HP and LG in the consumer space.

When it comes to notebooks, HP is top dog with a 40 per cent share, while Lenovo and Acer accounted for 17 per cent and 14 per cent, the report finds.

IDC also reports that the ultra portable notebook, a somewhat pricier option of the `thin-n-light' variety saw very high off take with a 173 growth, indicating that such devices "are becoming a lifestyle statement, apart from a convenience."

IDC's numbers are close to those of the Manufacturer's Association of Information Technology (MAIT) which last month suggested that the fiscal year 2005-06 would see 5 million PCs sold.

It puts the total number of PCs in India at around 14 million — a penetration of 14 per thousand, which compares with 28 for China, 558 for South Korea — and 709 for Switzerland, the highest in the world.

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