Growth in global technology spending will slow next year, hurt by a US economic downturn that could crimp spending on computer hardware, research firm IDC said on Thursday in a report with predictions for 2008.

IDC estimates worldwide technology spending growth to range between 5.5 per cent and 6 per cent in 2008, down from about 7 per cent this year. U.S. spending growth will dip to 3 per cent to 4 per cent next year from 6.6 percent in 2007, IDC said.

Spanning footprint

Companies will target faster-growing emerging markets along with small and medium-sized businesses to offset slower US spending growth, IDC predicted, and in some cases they will need to make acquisitions to launch into promising sectors.

IDC Senior Vice President (Research) Frank Gens said Web search leader Google Inc could cement its position in the small and medium-sized business market with an acquisition of Salesforce.com or Intuit Inc, two companies with strong Web-based business applications. IDC also predicts US mobile phone operators will follow  the footsteps of Verizon Wireless, which announced last month plans to open its network to any phone or software by the end of 2008.