PC sales

Quarter sales of Microsoft Windows operating system declined reflecting thus a sharp downturn in personal computer market, which sent Microsoft’s shares down.

Microsoft's shares fell 1.2 percent to $26.37 in after-hours trading following the earnings report on Thursday.

Since its inception 18 months ago Microsoft has sold a record-breaking 350 million licenses for its Windows 7 operating system.

Being the main driver of the company profits PC sales dropped 1% in the first quarter of the year, as reported by a research firm.

As reflected the latest research from IDC, global PC sales are expected to face nearly 20% growth this year.

As the research firm found, worldwide PC shipments in the first three months of the year were 27.1% higher than in the first quarter of 2009. So the company expects further growth nearing to 20% compared to 2009.

As IDC noted an easing of economic troubles together with renewed consumer and corporate buying is giving the PC industry a much-needed boost.

PC sales have surged by 23% compared to last year, pushed mainly by growing demand in Asia. 

Thus, if in the first quarter of last year 66.5 million PCs were shipped, the first quarter of 2010 showed 81.5 million sales.