PC Market starts shrinking?

Jojoyee · 03. Feb 2012, 06:45 AM

While mobile tablets and smart phones are booming, has the PC market started shrinking?

Gartner says worldwide PC shipment in the 4th quarter of 2011 declined 1.4 percent.

"Microsoft... obviously knows that a sea change is under way. As it focuses on Win8 and the Metro user interface, the company is starting to refer to traditional Windows applications as legacy apps and the Windows desktop as the legacy desktop."
Source: Your next computer could well be a tablet - Windows Secrets.

J_L · 04. Feb 2012, 04:13 AM

The new thing always captures interest over previous products. That's just a trend, PCs aren't going to be replaced.

eyeb · 05. Feb 2012, 04:02 AM

I've been seeing it shrink to laptops even before the tablets came around. I mean all but the hardcore "gamers" and even them, are starting to take laptops to college.

This is important because they're the ones that are buying new computers/tablets, not their parents... Parents may fund it, but the kids are the ones telling them to buy the laptop/tablet because they "need" it. And when parents want new ones, they'll ask the kids for opinion which in turn becomes a positive feedback loop.

Kind of how microsoft office took off from being offered free/cheap to students to get them hooked so they'll stay with it, but the PC market didn't do this to hook students.

Apple did this with iphone/ipad by marketing to students without always overtly saying this.

Jojoyee · 05. Feb 2012, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyeb

Apple did this with iphone/ipad by marketing to students without always overtly saying this.

This pic from one of Panzer's posts describes the best.

MidnightCowboy · 05. Feb 2012, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J_L

The new thing always captures interest over previous products. That's just a trend, PCs aren't going to be replaced.

Very true. When the next generation sees how much this one had to spend on glasses, that might cause a rethink too

jim · 05. Feb 2012, 06:56 PM

Anything that doesn't display on my 22" monitor or 38" flat screen tv is of no interest to us. Our mobile phones are for phone calls. Even texts are done through my pc. (Although I understand some of the newer "mini" technologies can be attached to them but I haven't investigated that yet).

Anupam · 05. Feb 2012, 07:12 PM

Well, the PC markets may shrink a bit, but not going to be out ever IMO. Its because the PCs have their own place. Nothing like having a PC and sitting in front of it. Laptops are good in the sense that they are easier to carry around, and have some advantages over PCs, still, I personally am not entirely comfortable on laptops.. specially, with their keypads, small screens, and all. Have to crouch in front of laptops and really glue your eyes to it.. not that with PCs.

Also, if anything goes wrong with a laptop, or a mobile, you can't just tinker around with the hardware as freely as you can do with a PC. With a PC, you can open it easily, move parts around, change them, replace them, add parts, take out parts.. all very easily. You can upgrade a PC very easily yourself... whereas all that is not easy with laptops and mobiles.

PCs will always have their place. Mobiles and laptops will also have their place. Yes, the younger generation prefers them more. They all have their advantages, and disadvantages, but they will all co-exist.

Remah · 05. Feb 2012, 10:52 PM

Technically, we're not talking about PCs but desktop/workstation PCs versus various types of portable PC.

jim · 05. Feb 2012, 11:19 PM

Yes, and what I said (and what Anupam said better) still holds true.

Remah · 05. Feb 2012, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim

Yes, and what I said (and what Anupam said better) still holds true.

I wasn't making a point about any specific comment so sorry if I gave that impression.

03. Feb 2012, 06:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jojoyee Maestro di Search Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 4,295	PC Market starts shrinking? While mobile tablets and smart phones are booming, has the PC market started shrinking? Gartner says worldwide PC shipment in the 4th quarter of 2011 declined 1.4 percent. "Microsoft... obviously knows that a sea change is under way. As it focuses on Win8 and the Metro user interface, the company is starting to refer to traditional Windows applications as *legacy apps* and the Windows desktop as the *legacy desktop." Source: Your next computer could well be a tablet - Windows Secrets. __________________ Keep It Short and Sweet*

05. Feb 2012, 07:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
Anupam Moderator Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 9,484	Well, the PC markets may shrink a bit, but not going to be out ever IMO. Its because the PCs have their own place. Nothing like having a PC and sitting in front of it. Laptops are good in the sense that they are easier to carry around, and have some advantages over PCs, still, I personally am not entirely comfortable on laptops.. specially, with their keypads, small screens, and all. Have to crouch in front of laptops and really glue your eyes to it.. not that with PCs. Also, if anything goes wrong with a laptop, or a mobile, you can't just tinker around with the hardware as freely as you can do with a PC. With a PC, you can open it easily, move parts around, change them, replace them, add parts, take out parts.. all very easily. You can upgrade a PC very easily yourself... whereas all that is not easy with laptops and mobiles. PCs will always have their place. Mobiles and laptops will also have their place. Yes, the younger generation prefers them more. They all have their advantages, and disadvantages, but they will all co-exist. __________________ Anupam

05. Feb 2012, 10:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
Remah Editor Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New Zealand Posts: 505	Technically, we're not talking about PCs but desktop/workstation PCs versus various types of portable PC. __________________ Better to light a candle ... than to curse the darkness.

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04. Feb 2012, 04:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
J_L Co-Author, Best Free Security List Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,475	The new thing always captures interest over previous products. That's just a trend, PCs aren't going to be replaced.

05. Feb 2012, 04:02 AM	#3 (permalink)
eyeb Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Planet X Posts: 487	I've been seeing it shrink to laptops even before the tablets came around. I mean all but the hardcore "gamers" and even them, are starting to take laptops to college. This is important because they're the ones that are buying new computers/tablets, not their parents... Parents may fund it, but the kids are the ones telling them to buy the laptop/tablet because they "need" it. And when parents want new ones, they'll ask the kids for opinion which in turn becomes a positive feedback loop. Kind of how microsoft office took off from being offered free/cheap to students to get them hooked so they'll stay with it, but the PC market didn't do this to hook students. Apple did this with iphone/ipad by marketing to students without always overtly saying this.

05. Feb 2012, 06:56 PM	#6 (permalink)
jim Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: near Ashford Kent England Posts: 304	Anything that doesn't display on my 22" monitor or 38" flat screen tv is of no interest to us. Our mobile phones are for phone calls. Even texts are done through my pc. (Although I understand some of the newer "mini" technologies can be attached to them but I haven't investigated that yet).

05. Feb 2012, 11:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
jim Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: near Ashford Kent England Posts: 304	Yes, and what I said (and what Anupam said better) still holds true.