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Number of homes with PCs steady in '01

A new research study conducted by San Francisco-based Odyssey shows that the number of households with PCs in the United States was virtually unchanged in 2001. The firm said the PC ownership held steady at about 61 percent of U.S. households, the first time the PC market failed to make significant gains in household ownership since 1997. That the market held steady is significant because worldwide PC unit sales during 2001 declined by about 5 percent, according to IDC. However, household PC ownership in the United States had been steadily advancing, growing from 50 percent to 56 percent between 1999 and 2000. But between January 2001 and January 2002, the number of households owning PCs grew only from 60 percent to 61 percent, the firm said. Odyssey suggests that the reason for the slowdown in growth is attributable to a decrease in the number of new PC buyers.

John G. Spooner Staff Writer, CNET News.com
John Spooner
covers the PC market, chips and automotive technology.
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John G. Spooner
A new research study conducted by San Francisco-based Odyssey shows that the number of households with PCs in the United States was virtually unchanged in 2001. The firm said the PC ownership held steady at about 61 percent of U.S. households, the first time the PC market failed to make significant gains in household ownership since 1997.

That the market held steady is significant because worldwide PC unit sales during 2001 declined by about 5 percent, according to IDC. However, household PC ownership in the United States had been steadily advancing, growing from 50 percent to 56 percent between 1999 and 2000. But between January 2001 and January 2002, the number of households owning PCs grew only from 60 percent to 61 percent, the firm said. Odyssey suggests that the reason for the slowdown in growth is attributable to a decrease in the number of new PC buyers.