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Gartner says the ‘traditional’ PC market will continue to shrink through 2015

By Mike Epstein March 27, 2014

Acer Aspire R7 tablet 1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

According to market research firm Gartner, the overall global market for consumer electronics is expected to grow 6.9 percent in 2014. However, the PC market hasn’t exactly been invited to that party, but that shouldn’t come as any surprise.

The traditional PC market is expected to continue shrinking Gartner says, with annual shipments falling from 296.1 million units in 2013, to 276.7 million this year. That number is expected to fall further in 2015 as well, down to 263 million.

“The traditional PC category continues to decrease, with only about two-thirds of notebook and desktop replacements remaining within this category. The majority of the remaining one-third will move to ultramobiles, while others will not be replaced at all,” said Ranjit Atwal, Gartner’s research director.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone will be trading in PCs for tablets in the coming years. Gartner says that an increased demand for “ultramobiles,” (which it identifies as tablets, hybrid and clamshell devices) combined with a slowing in the number of instances where notebooks are replaced with tablets will tell a tale that’s currently being written.

“Tablet substitution of notebooks will start to dissipate from this year onwards as consumers and businesses align the right device with the right usage pattern,” said Atwal. “As they do this, we will see where dedicated devices (such as tablets), or hybrid devices (detachable or convertible devices), fit in the overall portfolio of devices.”

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Michael is a New York-based tech and culture reporter, and a graduate of Northwestwern University’s Medill School of…

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