IT spending in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) will reach $1.154 trillion in 2013, a 1.4 percent increase from 2012 projected spending of $1.138 trillion, according to Gartner, Inc. Despite the ongoing economic malaise, Gartner sees pockets of growth in IT in Europe, mainly driven by devices and software. Big data will also change the landscape of IT - creating new jobs.
“This year is a pessimistic year for IT spending in Europe,” said Peter Sondergaard, Senior Vice President at Gartner and Global Head of Research. “In 2012, we estimate that IT spending will decline 3.6 percent in EMEA and 5.9 percent in Western Europe. However, the EMEA region will return to growth in 2013 and continue to grow through 2016 when spending will reach $1.247 trillion.”
“The mobile device market is currently the bright spot of the IT industry,” said Sondergaard. “We are seeing tablets and smartphones significantly outpace purchases of traditional PCs.”
Gartner estimates that spending on mobile devices in EMEA will amount to $136 billion in 2012, reaching $188 billion in 2016. In Western Europe, both consumers and businesses are adding tablets to their portfolio of mobile devices - increasing the total mobile device market growth by 8 percent in 2012. This contrasts with a decline of 5 percent in the mobile PC market in Western Europe. In Eastern Europe and the Middle East and Africa, mobile phone shipments will dominate the market, with tablet adoption increasing through to 2016.
