OVERSEAS COMPUTER MARKET GROWING
By Adnews Staff
Foreign markets are beginning to welcome U.S. PC makers with open arms. Because of falling prices and increased production of foreign-language software, sales and shipments of personal computers to homes in Europe and Asia will exceed those to homes in the U.S. this year for the first time, according to a survey by Link Resources Corp. of New York. The study predicts that foreign sales will increase in volume to almost twice those of America by the year 2000. Compaq Computer Corp. of Houston says sales of its Presario computers outside North America have grown to 35% of the line's total volume this year, up from 20% last year. Foreign sales of the Presario should account for 50% of the product's total volume next year. Dataquest of San Jose, California estimates all countries outside the U.S. will account for 50% of total shipments of home PCs around the world this year, up from 48% in 1994. Through the first half, the company estimates home PC shipments in Europe grew 28% from a year earlier, while in Asia they rose 27%. Home PC shipments increased 23% in the U.S.