Worldwide IT spending is projected to increase 4.2 percent and reach a total $3.7 trillion in 2013, according to the tech research firm Gartner.
Total spending — which includes devices, data center systems, enterprise software, and telecom and IT services — has been revised upward from 3Q 2012 estimates.
Leading the way will be telecom services with $1.7 trillion in spending, followed by IT services with $927 billion, devices — PCs, tablets, mobile phones, etc — at $666 billion, enterprise software with $296 billion, and data center systems ($147 billion). However, the enterprise software will see the most growth (6.4 percent) thanks to security, storage management and customer relationship management and will continue to lead in growth in 2014 because of increased interest in big data management tools.
“Uncertainties surrounding prospects for an upturn in global economic growth are the major retardants to IT growth,” said Richard Gordon, managing vice president at Gartner. “This uncertainty has caused the pessimistic business and consumer sentiment throughout the world. However, much of this uncertainty is nearing resolution, and as it does, we look for accelerated spending growth in 2013 compared to 2012.”
Devices spending will also see strong growth this year at 6.3 percent, though it is a reduction, from 7.9 percent, of Gartner’s previous forecast. Growth projections from 2012 through 2016 are also down to 4.5 percent from 6.4 percent.
“The tablet market has seen greater price competition from android devices as well as smaller, low-priced devices in emerging markets,” Gordon said. “It is ultimately this shift toward relatively lower-priced tablets that lowers our average selling prices forecast for 2012 through 2016, which in turn is responsible for slowing device spending growth in general, and PC and tablet spending growth in particular.”
Here’s a look at worldwide IT spending from 2012-2014:
Photo: Flickr/See-ming Lee
