Global IT spending is expected to grow just 0.6 per cent to $3.54 trillion in 2016 over the last year, impacted by the strong dollar. In 2015, IT spending globally was at about $3.52 trillion dollars.
“2015 saw the largest US dollar drop in IT spending since Gartner began tracking IT spending. $216 billion dollars less was spent on IT in 2015 than in 2014 and 2014 spending levels won't be surpassed until 2019,” Gartner said in a statement. The rising US dollar is the ‘villain’ behind 2015 results, Gartner Research Vice President John-David lovelock said.
“US multinationals’ revenue faced currency headwinds in 2015. However, in 2016 those headwinds go away and they can expect an additional 5 percent growth,” he added. Software spending is on pace to total $326 billion, a 5.3 per cent increase from 2015, while that on IT services is expected to rise 3.1 per cent to $940 billion. The devices market (PCs, ultramobiles, mobile phones, tablets and printers) is forecast to decline 1.9 per cent in 2016 to $641 billion.
Data centre systems' spending is projected to reach $75 billion in 2016, a 3 per cent increase from 2015. Telecom services spending is projected to decline 1.2 per cent in 2016, with spending reaching $1.45 trillion.