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Laptop sales boosted worldwide demand for PCs in 2004, helping to spur an 12% rise in the overall market, according to Gartner's annual review of the sector. The mobile PC boost offset weaker demand among consumers in the US and Europe.

Globally, Dell led the field with a market share of 16%, ahead of Hewlett-Packard's steady 15%. Those two tower above any close rivals (IBM, Fujitsu Siemens and Acer), each of which has less than 5% market share.

PC shipments in Europe were actually ahead of worldwide growth rates, rising 14% to 61.7 million units. While HP still leads the market in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region with 16%, that is being slowly eroded. Fuelled by strong performances in the mobile PC arena, Dell and Fujitsu Siemens grew their slices of the sector (in terms of raw units shipped) by 9% and 5% respectively. Sitting between them, the much-revived Acer increased its share from 6% to 7%, as a result of its focus on the PC distribution channel.

Analysts at Canalys Research found similarly "sparkling" growth in the EMEA PC market during the fourth quarter of 2004, pegging HP's clear leadership at around 17%.

° Forrester Research predicts that by the end of the decade, the number of PCs in use worldwide will reach 1.3 billion, roughly double the number in use today - though by then what will class as a 'PC' will be a matter of debate. While PC sales in the US and EMEA regions will continue to climb, Forrester predicts that developing economies will generate the most PC market growth. Local manufacturers in countries such as China will have an advantage over the current PC giants, and will challenge their worldwide market share - hence IBM's desire to sell its PC business to Lenovo of China.