PC market hits US$500mn in 2004

PC sales in Chile should top US$500mn this year, with 530,000 units sold in 2004 giving a total of 2.5 million PCs in the country, according to Luis Marín, business development manager at the Chilean division of US chip manufacturer Intel (Nasdaq: INTC). In 2004, 13% of PC sales represented laptop purchases, compared to 9% in 2003, local newspaper El Mercurio quoted Marín as saying. For next year, per capita IT spending should average US$70. For 2005, Chile should register a record year in IT investments, mainly because of economic reactivation and new commercial agreements the state has signed, which will encourage companies to modernize so they can compete with foreign firms, the report said. Earlier this year, IT investments in Chile were expected to grow 1.8% compared to 2003 but the local unit of international consultancy firm IDC has modified its forecasts and now expects a 3.4% increase. Total IT investments will reach US$1.07bn this year compared to US$1.04bn in 2003, according to statistics from IDC and the national chamber of commerce CNC.