Tim Luke, an analyst from investment bank Lehman Brothers, claims the impact of virtualization technology on desktops won’t be significantly felt until at least 2010 although he acknowledges its impact may already be limiting growth in the server market (then again, Gartner says it performed just fine in 2007).

As for the mainstream desktop market, Luke forecast the virtualization trend there may remain “subdued” in the near term. According to the analyst, the economic case for desktop virtualization is not as compelling and also cited user reluctance. Luke estimated about 1 % of desktops will be virtualized by 2010, and 4 % by 2012. However, Luke said that the virtualization of individual desktop applications “may see better traction in the medium term.”

[Source: CNN Money]