Worldwide combined shipments of devices (PCs, tablets, ultra mobiles and mobile phones) are expected to reach 2.5 billion units in 2015, a 1.5 percent increase from 2014 and down from the previous quarter's forecast of 2.8 percent growth, according to Gartner.
 
End-user spending on devices will total USD 606 billion in 2015 and will show, for the first time since 2010, a 5.7 percent decline in current U.S. dollars.

"Our forecast for unit shipment growth for all devices in 2015 has dropped by 1.3 percentage points from last quarter's estimate," said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner. "This was partly due to a continued slowdown in PC purchases in Western Europe, Russia and Japan in particular, largely due to price increases resulting from local currency devaluation against the dollar."

The global PC shipment market is expected to total 300 million units in 2015, a decline of 4.5 percent year on year. "We do not expect the global PC market to recover until 2016," said Atwal. "The release of Windows 10 on 29th July will contribute to a slowing professional demand for mobile PCs and premium ultramobiles in 2015, as lifetimes extend by three months. However, as suppliers and buyers adjust to new prices, Windows 10 could boost replacements during 2016."