PC sales declined 14% first quarter 2013

[seedubya]

I don't have a tablet, but I do have a modern smartphone, and while it can do everything a PC can within reason, the experience is just not the same. It depends what you need to use the computer for I guess. But even in my office, I cannot imagine typing this on anything less than my full size qwerty keyboard and my 'small' 20" monitor.

But yes we know PC sales are falling, we know it is the end of the world as wer know it, but I feel fine.

Everybody always hurts in the technology game but if we can put a man on the moon, and go for a night swim everything will be fine. Excuse me while I go and drink some orange crush.

Sorry.

I suppose with a handle like yours you were almost bound to be an REM fan.

 

[HubCityPC]

Originally Posted by 16k_zx81
I bought an Android tablet awhile back and its my main computing device at home now. In fact I almost never use the desktop and have retired it.

My wife uses her ipad almost exclusively, as does my Son.

Our household computing habits have changed significantly as a result of the 'new' technology, and I can see why so many people are turning away from PCs.

I still 'have to' use PCs on the bench at work, but if there was another option, I would be on it in a heartbeat.

Pretty much the same here. The urgency to get laptops repaired is not the same either.. I have a laptop in for repair where the screen was broken 3 months ago. My IPad suffices out on site, in fact I've used my laptop on site probably 5 times in the last year.

I may a bit different and I know many might not agree but I have the latest gen iPhone and iPad and I still use my main Windows desktop and MacBook Pro daily. The mobile devices are great but if I have any serious work to do, I still prefer a full blown computer. I'll typically drain my iPhone battery before the end of the work day (unavoidable when making calls/sending texts) but the iPad will sit for sometimes days before I even pick it up. And, I even have a case with a built in bluetooth keyboard. It's still not a replacement for my laptop, at least IMO.

Not to sound cliche' but I still look at the mobile devices as being more consumption than production. Not saying you can't do any work on them...just not my device of choice for more than reading and maybe a little email. Oh and I'll wear them out playing some Words With Friends or What's The Phrase!

 

[BillMoney]

http://arstechnica.com/information-...and-youre-not-lenovo-you-might-be-in-trouble/

TLDR: HP/Dell decline, Lenovo grows

 

[TenYardFight]

I know it has been said, but this is all about the poor sales performance of windows 8.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I know it has been said, but this is all about the poor sales performance of windows 8.

No it's not. Windows 8 wouldn't exist if other factors, mostly the mobile computing market wasn't eating into PC sales. Windows 8 was supposed to be the solution. The product that would turn that around.

 

[phaZed]

No it's not. Windows 8 wouldn't exist if other factors, mostly the mobile computing market wasn't eating into PC sales. Windows 8 was supposed to be the solution. The product that would turn that around.

Windows 8 was time-released like all Windows version have been. Approx. every 3-4 years. Windows 8 was being developed before the so-called "PC Crash".

 

[brandonkick]

apparently some people just don't listen...

The market for a PC isn't dead, or even slowing much.

It's more the economy then anything else. Mobile devices have some effect, but they still don't replace a traditional computer

 

[nlinecomputers]

apparently some people just don't listen...

The market for a PC isn't dead, or even slowing much.

It's more the economy then anything else. Mobile devices have some effect, but they still don't replace a traditional computer

You must be in different circles then I am in. I know several people that have basically given up their PCs for iPads. They complain at me about the amount of updates they have to do everytime they turn them on which is only about once a month. Many home users don't need a PC. In the office you are correct but even there some things have changed. People take iPads into meetings where they use to take a laptop.

The market isn't dead but for me it IS slowing.

 

[16k_zx81]

apparently some people just don't listen...

The market for a PC isn't dead, or even slowing much.

It's more the economy then anything else. Mobile devices have some effect, but they still don't replace a traditional computer

The second article, posted by JohnRobert states that this sort of drop has not been seen since 1994.

According to IDC, the performance equates to a 13.9% drop, much worse than the 7.7% decline the firm had expected, and represents the worst year-over-year quarterly decline since it began tracking the segment in 1994

If your argument was correct, you would have seen similar figures in March 2001–Nov 2001, and Dec 2007 – June 2009, both of which were periods of official "recession" in the USA.

Its not, then "the economy", thats driving it. "The economy" may be a factor, but drawing a straight line of cause-and-effect aint going to explain anything by itself.

If you read any of the current sales reports on tablet vs pc sales, there is a distinct trend, which is resulting in pundits' projecting continuing drop in PC sales, and continued rise in tablet sales.

The article also casts some doubt on whether windows 8 is 'to blame' - and there is some evidence to suggest it may not.

However you interpret 'causality' - at some point it becomes moot - because the bottom line is about consumer uptake rates of tablets vs PCs. There are two variables that are indisputable:

1. PC sales are dropping, and indicating they will continue to drop over the next few years.

2. Tablet sales are rising, and indicating they will continue to rise over the next few years.

What that means for techs is less laptop and desktop repairs and more tablet repairs (for those of us who need to take them on in order to maintain revenue levels).

People can speculate as much as they like about whats driving the changes, but the sales figures and the actual ownership/repair data from the consumer market are the 'bottom line' for anyone concerned with an intelligent analysis (and projection) of the state of play as it affects rates of repair.

.,

 

[Galdorf]

There is talk of a new release windows 8.1 looks like start button will be back and ability to boot to desktop instead of metro ui.
Funny thing is classic shell already does this so far only 2 customers kept windows 8 others downgraded to 7 on laptops we sold so far.
I sold 1 windows 8 custom built system all rest and windows 7 i think its the economy causing the sales slump look at price of bread it has gone up 300% where i live price of cola $7.50 for a 12 pack of pepsi/coke.

 

[gunslinger]

I'm not looking at it like its windows 8 thing or its tablet competition/smartphone competition, etc etc.

I am looking at it like this. If the person has a core 2 duo or higher processor already why in the world would they buy a new computer unless they are a gamer or do some kind of very resource heavy media work.

Edit: but then again sometimes people use to buy a new comp for the newer OS and I know thats not going to happen with windows 8 lol.

Agreed.

My daughter is a good example. She does almost everything on her iPad or iPhone. She actually sits down at her desktop system about once per month when she needs to use office for a paper. The desktop system is a Dell 2400 with a p4 processor, and a gig of RAM running Windows XP. Still works perfectly for what she needs.

You must be in different circles then I am in. I know several people that have basically given up their PCs for iPads. They complain at me about the amount of updates they have to do everytime they turn them on which is only about once a month. Many home users don't need a PC. In the office you are correct but even there some things have changed. People take iPads into meetings where they use to take a laptop.

The market isn't dead but for me it IS slowing.

Pretty much what I'm seeing also. I have had 5 friends so far trash their PC for an iPad or iPhone. When all you do is take notes, get on facebook, check email and watch youtube vids why do you need a full desktop or laptop system? Sadly this discribes probably 80% of computer users. the other 20% need Microsoft Office or play games.

 

[brandonkick]

I do much more with a computer then most people I guess. I regularly write code, play games, browse websites, do research, do work in the office suite and so on.

I think the thing for me, is the size of the screen. I mean, when I first hooked a computer up to my first 32" HDTV I was blown away. It was only 720P, but I could actually have four instances of a programming IDE open at once which is VERY helpful in some cases. I could have two or three websites open full screen at once. This became even better when I upgraded to a 47" 1080P HDTV.

For me, it was like the difference between dial up and cable internet. And for me, stepping down to a tablet would be similar to stepping down from cable internet back to dial up.

I guess it comes down to the person, and I'm in the minority.

 

[16k_zx81]

I do much more with a computer then most people I guess. I regularly write code, play games, browse websites, do research, do work in the office suite and so on.

I think the thing for me, is the size of the screen. I mean, when I first hooked a computer up to my first 32" HDTV I was blown away. It was only 720P, but I could actually have four instances of a programming IDE open at once which is VERY helpful in some cases. I could have two or three websites open full screen at once. This became even better when I upgraded to a 47" 1080P HDTV.

For me, it was like the difference between dial up and cable internet. And for me, stepping down to a tablet would be similar to stepping down from cable internet back to dial up.

I guess it comes down to the person, and I'm in the minority.

Yeah but what sort of tablet do you own?

.............

 

[Tekguy]

So what is the main advantage of a PC over a tablet/smartphone? Obviously it's the screen size for most users. What would happen if a person walked into a room with a smartphone & it automatically connected to his TV or monitor? There's no need to sync anything & there's also no need for a PC anymore.

Maybe this is what the Apple TV is about, instead of just another overpriced HDTV it's the next step in the evolution of the iTouch platform. First it was the iPhone with it's tiny screen for true mobility, then the iPad to take the place of the laptop & finally the Apple TV to bring all these technologies together to replace the desktop.

I'm not sure if the Apple TV would use wireless HDMI to connect with the iPhone/iPad or Wi-Fi. Apple sure is due for something big, especially since everybody says they can't innovate anymore & that they've peaked.

 

[gunslinger]

So what is the main advantage of a PC over a tablet/smartphone? Obviously it's the screen size for most users. What would happen if a person walked into a room with a smartphone & it automatically connected to his TV or monitor? There's no need to sync anything & there's also no need for a PC anymore.

Maybe this is what the Apple TV is about, instead of just another overpriced HDTV it's the next step in the evolution of the iTouch platform. First it was the iPhone with it's tiny screen for true mobility, then the iPad to take the place of the laptop & finally the Apple TV to bring all these technologies together to replace the desktop.

I'm not sure if the Apple TV would use wireless HDMI to connect with the iPhone/iPad or Wi-Fi. Apple sure is due for something big, especially since everybody says they can't innovate anymore & that they've peaked.

Content creation. There will always be a need for a powerful desktop system for content creation. I don't see tablets being powerful enough to run Adobe creative suite or Maya anytime soon. I do however see the desktop computer being fazed down a lot. I think in 5 years seeing a desktop PC will be about as rare as seeing a tablet was 5 years ago.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

So what is the main advantage of a PC over a tablet/smartphone? Obviously it's the screen size for most users. .

I wouldn't say the main advantage of a PC over tablet isn't screen size. It's the ability to do many more things, run big applications that a tablet can't even think about running. Line of business applications for one...that encompasses a HUGE list. Also the ability to connect to many peripherals and give options. Storage?

Luckily 99% of what we do is supporting SMBs.....and we're not seeing this reduction in PCs. We've seen some of our clients try to make a move....my largest client is a Hospice agency. They got 20 iPads for a portion of their large mobile fleet of nurses. Lasted about 1 year. The input on them was too limited, the nurses just didn't like the interface. Back to a fleet of 12" laptops with Windows 7.

That was really the only decent amount of "trying a non-Windows PC" move for any of our ~300 active business clients.

For home users/residential market...yeah I can see how it's taken a bite out of Windows sales. Majority of them are happy just surfing useless brain dead surfing from the comfort of their couch while in front of the boob tube. A tablet will be fine for that. They would otherwise typically have some 399 dollar underpowered crapbox old tower or a 499 dollar underpowered laptop. So still not much of a loss.

Home power users will use both. They'll do casual stuff from their tablet or ipad. But they still turn to a "PC" in their house to do actual work.

 

[Tekguy]

I wouldn't say the main advantage of a PC over tablet isn't screen size. It's the ability to do many more things, run big applications that a tablet can't even think about running. Line of business applications for one...that encompasses a HUGE list. Also the ability to connect to many peripherals and give options. Storage?

I said for most users. Certainly a tablet isn't going to replace a server or a workstation doing serious 3D rendering or video transcoding, but for most users a quad core smartphone with a gig of ram is plenty of horsepower right now & they're only going to get more powerful in the future.

You add a bluetooth keyboard & mouse to a tablet or smartphone that connects to a wireless monitor or TV & suddenly the desktop becomes a dinosaur.

I'm not saying this is going to happen, but it sure does look like the direction we're headed.

 

[angry_geek]

Had a 70-year-old lady come into the shop just now. It seems her son and granddaughter talked her into getting an iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard and donate her 3-year-old desktop to a charity. Guess what she discovered when everything was said and done: The new tablet cannot run her embroidery machine. So after all that, she came to us and ordered a new notebook today.

Yes, sales are slumping. However, I get on here and read new threads every day about techs being slammed with service work. People aren't getting rid of their machines, they're just holding onto them longer.

 

[16k_zx81]

Yeah but what sort of tablet do you own?

.............

...................deafening silence.........................

 

[maclaptech]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22103079

.............................

I am seeing this all over the news now and on many tech sites. There is really no way of stopping this. Tablet and smart phones are taking over.

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