Gartner: Tablets popularity affects laptop sales

San Francisco, Mar 7: According to latest market research study, the increasing popularity of tablet PCs, including Apple iPads and Android tablets, will affect the demand of laptops, netbook and computers.

The report published by the technology research specialist, Gartner, revealed that the demand for mobile devices will increase, ending the five years strong growth of laptops and netbook. In the report, lowering their earlier prediction of 15.9 percent growth, Gartner said that the worldwide PC shipments will see a 10.5 percent increase from 2010.

The Gartner's report predicted a 13.6 percent rise in PC shipments in 2012. It will reach upto 440.6 million units in 2012 against the 387.8 million units in 2011.

"These results reflect marked reductions in expected near-term unit growth based on expectations of weaker consumer mobile PC demand, in no small part because of the near-term weakness expected in China's mobile PC market, but also because of a general loss in consumer enthusiasm for mobile PCs," Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner, said in a statement.

The tablet market has been growing with the emerge of Android tablets and the much awaited Apple iPad 2. According to various reports, tablet market is still dominated by the Apple iPad with more than eighty percent market share. Even though the iPhone maker faces pressure from other products like Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Apple set for the new revolution with the "Thinner, Lighter and Faster iPad 2.

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