Worldwide shipments of industrial PCs reached $650 million in 1998 and are expected to increase by 10% annually to more than $1 billion by 2003, according to a new report by ARC Advisory Group. The study, "Worldwide Industrial PC Outlook-Market Analysis and Forecast through 2003," says constant price pressure in this competitive market will fuel 15% annual increases ...
Worldwide shipments of industrial PCs reached $650 million in 1998 and are expected to increase by 10% annually to more than $1 billion by 2003, according to a new report by ARC Advisory Group. The study, “Worldwide Industrial PC Outlook-Market Analysis and Forecast through 2003,” says constant price pressure in this competitive market will fuel 15% annual increases in the number of industrial PC units shipped and that price wars are likely to escalate as established players seek to secure more market share. As last year’s Asian financial crisis begins to fade, the industrial PC market is also expected to benefit from revived manufacturing worldwide. The report adds that more industrial PCs are being used for direct I/O functions and control tasks because of their improved performance, declining prices, faster data buses, and increasingly stable operating systems. In addition, the emergence of compatible hardware standards, such as PCI and Compact PCI, are providing viable solutions that enhance the sector, while passive backplane PCs also provide cost-effective, reliable, and workable alternatives in many applications.
