Skip to main content

PC sales off to slow start in 2011, ‘usurped’ by the iPad

ipad-2-sold-outPC sales are off to a sluggish start in 2011, brought on, in part, by the overwhelming popularity of Apple’s iPad 2. The consumer PC market is “being usurped” by Apple’s tablet computer, according to analyst Chris Whitmore of Deutsche Bank as reported by AppleInsider.

Whitmore does expect PC sales to rise this year, but not by as much as originally predicted. Whitmore amended his projection for PC sales from nine percent growth down to four percent.  He increased his projected 2011 tablet sales from 40 million to 45 million. By 2012, Whitmore expects that consumers will have purchased some 70 million tablets — a healthy increase from an original prediction of 60 million.

And the vast majority of those 45 million tablets purchased this year will likely be iPads — 35 million according to Whitmore.

“We remain skeptical whether the likes of (HP), Dell, Motorola, Samsung and RIMM etc can close the competitive gap on iPad 2,” Whitmore wrote. “Specifically, iPad challengers must either undercut on price (negative margin implications) and/or offer a superior user experience.”

“In aggregate, we believe iPad will remain dominant with 70% market share. Our tablet unit estimate remains below Consensus due to our concerns that non-iPad tablets will underwhelm,” he added.

Whitmore believes that the iPad’s popularity has also severely undermined the demand for PC notebooks to the extent that close to one out of every three iPad purchasers intend to use the device as a notebook replacement.

While the consumer PC market may be underperforming, demand for PCs in the corporate world is as robust as ever and shows no indications of declining. Whitmore did note, however, that unfortunately for PC makers, corporate sales are not likely to increase enough to offset the slow start  in the consumer market.

Editors' Recommendations

Aemon Malone
Former Digital Trends Contributor
There’s an iPad Black Friday deal for $229 – but should you buy it?
Apple iPad 9th Gen. 2021 on porch with toys.

With so many Black Friday deals around, figuring out how to get the best value for money can be overwhelming. That's why we're on hand with all the best Black Friday tablet deals including two sweet deals on the standard Apple iPad. The older 9th generation is on sale as well as the latest 10th generation model, and you might be wondering which one is worth buying. We're on hand to guide you through these Black Friday iPad deals explaining what each model offers and taking a look at who would suit which tablet the best. Let's take a look.
Apple iPad (9th generation) -- $229, was $329
iPad 9th Gen Digital Trends

We liked the Apple iPad (9th generation) back when it first launched in 2021. It's a good quality device even if it's no longer one of the best tablets around. It has the A13 Bionic chip that we've previously seen on the iPhone 11 range along with the latest iPhone SE so it's no slouch despite its age. It also has a 10.2-inch Retina display with True Tone support. True Tone means that the display adjusts to the color temperature of the room you're in so it always looks great. There's also support for the Apple Pencil (1st generation) and Smart Keyboard if you want to be more productive.

Read more
Apple’s latest iPad just crashed to its cheapest-ever price
iPad 2022 first setup.

If you've been looking forward to iPad Black Friday deals, here's the first offer you should check out. The Wi-Fi, 64GB model of the 10th-generation Apple iPad, the latest version of this line of tablets, is down to its cheapest-ever price of $349 from Amazon. The $100 discount on the device's original price of $449 probably won't last long though, as there's always high demand for Apple devices, so if you don't want to miss out on this bargain, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the purchase as soon as you can.

Why you should buy the 10th-generation Apple iPad
The 10th-generation Apple iPad is the newest release of Apple's entry-level tablets, and while its specifications aren't as powerful as the iPad Air or iPad Pro, the device is listed in our roundup of the best iPads because it's a relatively affordable tablet that offers amazing bang for your buck. It's equipped with Apple's A14 chip, which is the same processor that's found in the iPhone 12 so it looks outdated, but the tablet is still pretty fast and smooth by today's standards, especially if you'll only be using it for simple tasks such as browsing the internet, checking social media, playing mobile games, and watching streaming shows.

Read more
The iPad is going to get an amazing new feature in 2024
iPad 2022 first setup.

Apple did not release new iPads this year, despite October rumors to the contrary. However, it's likely to do so in 2024 with one significant change on the horizon.

According to ET News, Apple will release the first iPad Pro models with organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) sometime next year. Perhaps in even bigger news, Apple also plans on increasing the size of the iPad mini from 8.3 inches to 8.7 inches.

Read more