2011 set to become the year of the iPad as PC sales slump

WORLDWIDE sales of personal computers has slowed as consumers make the switch to tablet or smartphones, research shows.

Apple iPad tablet

THIS year is shaping up to be the year of the iPad.

Worldwide sales of personal computers in 2011 have slowed as people prefer to buy smartphones or tablets, according to new research.

Gartner yesterday reported that the number of personal computers shipped in the third quarter of this year tallied 91.8 million in a 3.2 per cent increase from the same period in 2010.

"The consumer PC market continues to be weak," said Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa.

"The popularity of non-PC devices, including media tablets such as the iPad and smartphones, took consumers' spending away from PCs."

With a market share of 17.7 per cent, Hewlett Packard (HP) PC sales were strong in the US, but growth was relatively weak in the rest of the world.

HP continued to be the top computer maker, but China-based Lenovo was gaining ground and saw sales soar 25.2 per cent - becoming the second-largest worldwide PC vendor for the first time, bumping Dell into third place.

Tablets and smartphones were expected to continue eating into PC sales, especially in the US.

"The main contributor to the weak consumer PC market in the US was intensified competition for consumers' money," Mr Kitagawa said.

"Media tablets and smartphones took centre stage in the US retail sector, and the expectation is for continuing demand for these devices throughout the holiday season."