back to article Logitech's sales plunge 20% as demand for PCs slows

Peripheral maker Logitech is ending its fiscal 2022 on something of a low point, with the pandemic-induced sales growth extravaganza coming to an abrupt end, and forecasts for business this year lowered due to the conflict in Ukraine. The Swiss-based organization was in the right place at the right time when citizens across …

  1. Gene Cash Silver badge

    Are you sure it's not because of poor quality?

    I have a Logitech Bluetooth keyboard that can barely keep its battery charged, as opposed to a similar Microsoft keyboard that is still 85% charged after sitting for 2 months.

    I've gone through 2 Logitech mice that have just simply failed after 3 or 4 months. One falls off the USB bus after a couple minutes, the other just doesn't do anything when you move it.

    1. Hubert Cumberdale Silver badge

      Re: Are you sure it's not because of poor quality?

      Interesting: I've had an M570 in daily use for more than three years, and I've replaced it's single AA battery exactly twice. Never given me any problems at all (apart from occasionally getting a sticky ball, but that's my fault for using it while eating... </eew>).

      1. Gene Cash Silver badge

        Re: Are you sure it's not because of poor quality?

        for more than three years

        Well then you have some of the old stuff that still had quality.

        The new stuff is crap.

        1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

          I dunno about that.

          I bought a G502 wireless about two months ago and I'm happy with it. I've got a few niggles, but globally it's working fine and does what I need it to do.

          1. ICL1900-G3

            Yep, me too, my wife has one as well and they're fine. My 12 years old webcam still works as well as it ever did.

    2. Roland6 Silver badge

      Re: Are you sure it's not because of poor quality?

      >poor quality would mean having to buy more.

      I suspect part of the problem is that once you have a Logitech USB connected HD webcam, you can simply transfer it from system to system.

      My Logitech Pro 3000 720HD webcam from circa 2010, is still working just fine on Windows 10; and is probably better than many current laptops' built-in webcam!

      Obviously, compared to the video (and audio) quality from an iPad/iPhone (1080 HD)...

    3. Addanc

      Re: Are you sure it's not because of poor quality?

      What's your name Gordon Brown?

  2. VTAMguy

    Logitech - meh

    Most of their stuff is just meh. They also refuse to acknowledge that Linux exists, as all their software (if you can call it that) runs, barely, only on WIndows. If I'm supposed to buy your stuff, Logitech, why do you make me spin up an instance of an OS I hate just to configure a touchpad or keyboard? Your configuration programs suck, too. Badly written Windows software. Oh joy.

    1. julian.smith
      FAIL

      Re: Logitech - meh

      I call BS

      I'm typing this on a K380 keyboard (Bluetooth) and using an M235 mouse (Unifying Receiver) on Linux Mint 20.3.

      The peripherals are years old and fault-free

      Our modest Linux network uses ONLY Logitech keyboards and mice - they just work.

    2. ICL1900-G3

      Re: Logitech - meh

      Working OK for me on Mint and Opensuse.

  3. John 104

    Price Maybe?

    Maybe they'd sell more on a continual basis if their kit wasn't so ridiculously priced. I have a wonderful MX Ergo track ball. It's blue tooth, can switch between two different PCs and I love it. But work bought it. No way I'm shelling out $100 for an effing mouse. It's just stupid. Previous versions with their little BT USB dongle were around $50 which is somewhat more palatable. Their kit runs for a long time and I've had no reliability issues over 20+ years on a variety of devices.

  4. ITMA Silver badge

    Two possible reasons

    First - perhaps users are being put off buying new PCs because they come with Windows 11 (spit spit)?

    Secod - While some Logitech products are good, others are frankly shite. Why oh why can't you permanently disable effing "gestures" (which I LOATHE) on Logitech's K400r???

  5. rcxb1
    Coat

    Growth

    > Logitech said pointing devices grew 14 percent

    Wow. That must make them more difficult to hold...

  6. captain veg Silver badge

    Bracken said Logitech is "riding secular growth trends"

    Whatever is that supposed to mean? That the religious need not apply? That the irreligious are getting taller?

    I suggest they start by upping the quality. For the most part I have no idea why anyone buys Logitech branded stuff over no-name Chinese knock offs other than brand recognition. I have a number of Logi keyboards and they are consistently mediocre, but overpriced. I bought them because it's difficult to be choosy while sourcing UK-QWERTY outside of the UK.

    -A.

    1. EricB123 Bronze badge

      Re: Bracken said Logitech is "riding secular growth trends"

      ""while sourcing UK-QWERTY outside of the UK.""

      How is a UK-QWERTY different than a non-UK QWERTY keyboard?

      Does it have extra "U" keys (like "color" misspelled as "colour")?

      1. Anonymous Coward Silver badge
        Holmes

        Re: Bracken said Logitech is "riding secular growth trends"

        Primarily, when we press the 'pound' key, we get a pound symbol (£) and not a hash symbol (#)

        Secondarily, the UK keyboards can actually spell, so we can include all of the letters that make up a word (such as the u in colour)

        Thirdly, they are optimised for resistance to tea spillage rather than that diluted coffee that Americans drink. (not that any self-respecting Brit would waste their tea by spilling it)

      2. Cederic Silver badge

        Re: Bracken said Logitech is "riding secular growth trends"

        UK QWERTY keyboards have all the keys in the right place. Variants from other countries do not.

        Plus the UK keyboards get an extra key, with # next to the 'Enter' key and a proper £ on shift-3.

        1. ICL1900-G3

          Re: Bracken said Logitech is "riding secular growth trends"

          You saved me the effort.

        2. katrinab Silver badge
          Headmaster

          Re: Bracken said Logitech is "riding secular growth trends"

          The extra key is actually to the left of Z (pronounced zed, not zee) and gives us \ and |.

          US keyboards have a longer left shift key in its place.

          The enter key occupies two rows, and the top row part of it occupies the space where \ | is located on US keyboards. The lower row part of it is shorter, and in its place we have # ~, but in that area of the keyboard there are still two keys in total, just arranged differently.

          UK Mac keyboards are arranged differently to PC keyboards.

          There is an additional key on the numeric keypad if it has one, that gives us an additional = key where / is located. + is one row instead of two, and / * and - are moved right/down one position each.

          Also there is a Num Lock key instead of a clear key.

          Scroll Lock, Pause and Num Lock are replaced with additional function keys

          There are only three keys either side of the space bar instead of 4

          Ctrl | Opt | Cmd | Space | Cmd | Opt | Ctrl

          instead of

          Crtl | Fn | Win | Alt | Space | Alt Gr | Win | Context Menu | Ctrl (This is on a Microsoft Surface Keyboard, keyboards from other manufacturers and even some other Microsoft keyboards are different)

          There is an Fn key instead of an Insert Key

          On the main section of the keyboard, we have § ± instead of ` ¬,

          @ and " are swapped,

          # is accessed using Option+3 instead of having its own key

          € is Option + 2 instead of Alt-Gr + 4

          | \ is replaced with ` ~

          # ~ is replaced with \ |

          ¦ is not available

          and Option + pretty much every key will bring up something

          1. Cederic Silver badge

            Re: Bracken said Logitech is "riding secular growth trends"

            I was giving the short quick answer, but your thorough response is impressively comprehensive.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It's only going to get worse...

    It's only going to get worse for Logitech and others, monitor manufacturers especially, because all that excess WFH (work from home) kit apart from the laptop, is going to be sold on, by those being forced back to the office. Home is home, and if you're not working from it, I'd generally want the multitude of monitors and necessary kit out my house too, if it's gathering dust most of the week. The smaller the house, the more you'd want rid.

    If you're in the market for a new monitor, I'd hold off a few months, because work related 'new and shiny' in 2021, is now eBay fodder in 2022, heading into 2023.

    Still Logitech made hay while they could, their circa £30 C920 webcam (price before lockdown), has been hitting ridiculous prices for months now.

    And I blame Apple's crappy webcams, that this camera still sells.

  8. Wokstation

    My kingdom for a G13

    If they even simply re-release the G13 they'd make a few sales. I'd be at least two of them.

    Irritatingly they don't even support the existing one in LGHub.

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