The figures show a 7.8 percent slump this year. The firm previously had forecast a 1.3 percent decline in PC shipments for 2013 but said in a report that consumers are continuing to hold off replacing ageing laptops and desktop computers. However the tablet market is still doing rather well thanks to a growth in inexpensive devices running Google's Android.

IDC said that worldwide tablet shipments will expand 58.7 percent this year, while average selling prices for the devices will fall 10.8 percent to $381, IDC said. PC shipments are expected to fall an additional 1.2 percent next year, according to IDC.