Gartner: Enterprise software spending to rise by 6.4% in 2012

For 2012, Gartner expects telecommunications equipment and enterprise software to see the biggest growth in spite of the looming recession. The analyst expects spending in telecommunications to grow by 6.9%, with enterprise software growing by 6.4%.

Worldwide IT spending is forecast to total $3.8 trillion in 2012, a 3.7% increase from 2011, according to the latest outlook by Gartner.

Gartner has revised downward its outlook for 2012 global IT spending from its previous forecast of 4.6% growth. All four major technology sectors – computing hardware, enterprise software, IT services and telecommunications equipment and services – are expected to experience slower spending growth in 2012 than previously forecast.

Worldwide IT spending forecast (billions of US dollars)

Source: Gartner (January 2012)

"Faltering global economic growth, the Eurozone crisis and the impact of Thailand's floods on hard disk drive (HDD) production have all taken their toll on the outlook for IT spending," said Richard Gordon, research vice-president at Gartner.

Gartner noted that the Thailand floods, which left one-third of the country under water, had serious implications for businesses worldwide, particularly with computer and storage purchases.

"We estimate the supply of hard drives will be reduced by as much as 25% (and possibly more) during the next six to nine months. Rebuilding the destroyed manufacturing facilities will also take time and the effects of this will continue to ripple throughout 2012 and very likely into 2013."

PC shipments are likely to fall in 2011. In the worst case scenario, Gartner expects around 300 million PCs to ship this year.