According to preliminary results by research firm Gartner, worldwide PC shipments totaled 68.4 million units in Q2/15, a 9.5% decline from Q2/14. This was the steepest PC shipment decline since the Q3/13. PC shipments are projected to decline 4.4% in 2015.

Three of the major reasons for the drop in shipments are price increase due to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, an end to desk-based growth associated with the end of Windows XP support and self-regulated inventory control brought on by the anticipation of the Q3/15 launch of Windows 10.

Analysts emphasized that these inhibitors are temporary events, and they are not changing the PC market’s structure. Therefore, while the PC industry is going through a decline, the market is expected to go back to slow and steady growth in 2016.

“The price hike of PCs became more apparent in some regions due to a sharp appreciation of the U.S. dollar against local currencies,” Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. “The price hike could hinder PC demand in these regions. Secondly, the worldwide PC market experienced unusually positive desk-based growth last year due to the end of Windows XP support. After the XP impact was phased out, there have not been any major growth drivers to stimulate a PC refresh. Lastly, the Windows 10 launch scheduled for Q3/15 has created self-regulated inventory control. PC vendors and the channels tried clearing inventory as much as possible before the Windows 10 launch.”

Lenovo maintained the top position in worldwide PC shipments in Q2/15, but the company suffered a year-on-year shipment decline for the first time since the Q2/13. EMEA, Latin America and Japan were tough regions for Lenovo, as the company experienced double-digit shipment declines.

HP also experienced a shipment decline after five consecutive quarters of PC shipment growth. HP showed a steep decline in EMEA, which was potentially due to the currency impact. The company was also impacted by tight inventory controls in the consumer market before the Windows 10 launch.

Read the full Gartner report here.