Worldwide thin client and terminal client device shipments totalled 1,3-million units in the second quarter of 2013 (2Q13), an increase of 7,4% from the previous quarter, although the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Client Device Tracker shows it’s 8,2% lower than IDC forecast for the quarter.
IDC expects shipments for the full year to be 5,3-million units, representing 2,1% year-over-year growth. However, the forecast for 2014 is for shipments to reach 5,9-million units, representing 10,4% year-over-year growth. By 2017, these devices are expected to reach 8,3-million units shipped worldwide.
“NComputing grew 70,9% over the first quarter in 2Q13 by strengthening its focus on the education sector in Asia/Pacific, establishing itself as the top vendor in the region, and by increasing its presence in Latin America,” says Jennifer Song, research analyst: Worldwide Trackers at IDC.
“The US is still the largest market and is expected to grow with HP and Dell leading the way, but the strongest opportunity will be in China.
“The reduction in cost as well as easier endpoint management that desktop virtualization provides will drive thin client growth, as these are attractive options for companies wanting simpler management.
“While VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) can replace old PCs to reduce hardware issues, we also expect to see more offerings of mobile virtualisation applications that allow IT departments to skip the necessity of having to deliver a desktop altogether.”
Thin clients make up the vast majority (96%) of enterprise client devices.
The standalone form factor constitutes the largest segment of the overall market at 89% share. The mobile form factor is growing the fastest in Japan. Thin clients with LCD are dominant in Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APeJ), the US, and Western Europe.
Thin clients without operating systems (zero clients) hold 24% share among the thin client segment. Linux-based thin clients are slightly larger at 25%.
HP continued to rank number one in 2Q13 with 26,2% worldwide market share. It also ranked first in five out of eight regions.
While Dell held the number two position with 23,8% worldwide market share in 2Q13, it was the number one vendor in the largest region, the US, with 39% market share.
NComputing had the biggest gains in worldwide market share with 18,1% share in 2Q13. Despite having no shipments in PRC, NComputing managed to become the top vendor in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) and Latin America.
Centerm now holds the number two position in the APeJ market for 2Q13, with 5,3% share worldwide. However, it is the leading vendor in China with 47,1% local share.
Igel is the only vendor among the top five that has been seeing steady gains for the last five quarters with a 26,2% year-over-year increase at the worldwide level.