IDC CEMA Telecommunications Newsletter March 2008
 
IDC CEMA (Central & Eastern Europe and Middle East & Africa)
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IDC Releases Worldwide Mobile Phone, PC and x86 Server Supply Chains Predictions for 2008


FRAMINGHAM, Mass., February 19, 2008 – IDC's OEM Value Chain research team recently presented the top 10 predictions that will impact two major supply chains of the IT and telecommunications industry in 2008: the mobile phone and the PC & x86 server supply chains.

In 2007, the PC supply chain shipped 257 million systems worldwide and the mobile phone supply chain manufactured 1.1 billion finished phones that same year. Combined, these two supply chains finished shipments were valued at $318 billion in 2007, equal to more than a third of the global customer spending on information and communications technology hardware. In 2008, IDC expects the PC and the mobile phone supply chains to increase shipments by 10% worldwide.

Mobile Phone Value Chain

"While mobile phone components and manufacturing costs continue to fall, relationships within the supply chain are evolving as key players gain market share in their respective segments and reconfigure offerings to capture more value in the transformation process of component parts to assembled systems," said Michael Palma, senior analyst for IDC's OEM Value Chain research.

Among IDC's key predictions for 2008 are the following:
  • Media processing chips and their underlying technologies will be increasingly important in mobile phone design and differentiation.
  • Vendors that are able to offer integrated semiconductor platform solutions will have an increasingly sustainable advantage in the supply chain.
  • The mobile phone supply chain will continue to mature, leading to further consolidation in mobile phone chip vendors, mobile phone designers, and manufacturers.
PC and x86 Server Value Chain

"The PC and x86 server supply chain, which delivered a very strong year in 2007, is facing several challenges in 2008 that could fundamentally change the structure of the supply chain," explained Michael Palma.

Among IDC's key predictions for 2008 are the following:
  • Manufacturers will look to move beyond China, as they become more aware of their regional location strategies.
  • Managing inventory levels and sourcing agreements will become critical for purchasing departments throughout the supply chain as the industry manages downside risks.
  • Cheap PCs will not be a major driver in 2008 for the PC ecosystem.
IDC's studies, Worldwide Mobile Phone Supply Chain 2008 Top 10 Predictions (Doc #210765) and Worldwide PC and x86 Server Supply Chain 2008 Top 10 Predictions (Doc #210766) examines the market forces that will shape the structure of the mobile phone supply chain and the PC one in 2008.

For more information about purchasing this study, please contact:
Tatiana Hinova
+420 221 423 140
thinova@idc.com

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