Asia-Pacific buys more than 4m PCs in first half of 1997

Asia-Pacific buys more than 4m PCs in first half of 1997

HONG KONG (AFP): More than four million personal computers (PCs) were sold in the Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, in the first half of 1997, research firm Dataquest Asia Pacific reported Monday, marking a 15 percent increase from the same period last year.

China became the region's biggest PC market for the first time over the six months, bumping South Korea from first place with sales of nearly one million units, the company said in a statement.

Chinese sales were up 41 percent from the same period of 1996, it said.

Detailed figures were not given.

The South Korean market slumped at the same time because of that country's deteriorating economy, industry analyst Cherry Velarde was quoted as saying.

A currency crisis in Southeast Asia was also expected to increase PC prices and depress sales growth in the previously booming markets of Malaysia and Thailand, the company said.

Compaq continued to hold the biggest market share across the region, a position it had held since overtaking Samsung Electronics in the third quarter of 1996, it added.

Acer held second place, while leading Chinese PC manufacturer Legend Computer broke into the top 10 at number nine.

Toshiba extended its lead as the top-selling laptop manufacturer.

The report did not give sales figures by company.