Windows blamed as PC market tumbles 14% The PC market shrank by nearly 14 per cent in the first quarter, its biggest recorded drop, as Windows 8 was blamed by analysts for making PCs "less attractive" to consumers. PC makers had hoped the new Microsoft operating system would reignite the market when it was introduced last October, but it has had the opposite effect, according to IDC, the research company. "At this point, unfortunately, it seems clear that the Windows 8 launch not only failed to provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed it," said Bob O'Donnell, IDC analyst. "The radical changes to the [user interface], removal of the familiar Start button, and the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices," he said. IDC's numbers showed global PC shipments of 76.3m units in the first quarter, down 13.9 per cent on the same period in the previous year. This was worse than IDC's predicted decline of 7.7 per cent and marked the worst quarterly fall since it began quarterly tracking in 1994. It was also the fourth successive quarter of year-on-year shipment declines. Microsoft introduced a new tiled interface that was optimised for touch and tablets, but did away with the desktop opening screen, with its Start button, familiar to PC users. Touch screens have also added to the cost of PCs and notebooks at a time when consumers have been favouring cheaper smartphones and tablets. "Microsoft will have to make some very tough decisions moving forward if it wants to help reinvigorate the PC market," warned Mr O'Donnell.