Computer, chip shipments to fall in 2012, Analysts

Research firms say that what looked like a good year for computers and chips has fizzled. 

IHS iSuppli says global chip shipments are set to fall by 0.1 per cent this year. That's down from a previous forecast for growth of up to 3 per cent. It's the first annual decline since recession-coloured 2009. 

ISuppli says the big reason behind the decline is that PC sales are anemic. 
IDC, another research firm, agrees. It now expects PC shipments to grow just 0.9 per cent this year. That's down from a forecast of 5 per cent growth issued in March. 

IDC says sales have been weak so far this year, and a bounce from the impending release ofWindows 8 may not be as strong as it had expected.