Tablets are fun, but they can't replace PCs

By on Aug 17, 2011 at 2:30 PM
Computers August 17, 2011

The iPad continues to sell as fast as Apple’s manufacturing partners can build them, and other vendors are bound to get in on the action as well once they realize they’re doing it wrong. After all, just about every visible analyst has gone on record with the belief that the tablet market will explode over the next few years. Interestingly, however, several analysts also agree that the explosive tablet market will have very little impact on personal computer sales, and new data from a recent survey reaffirms this notion. Private equity firm Robert W. Baird & Co. recently conducted a survey of 1,114 consumers found that only 6% believe they can do without a PC today. Another 11% say they might be able to live without a PC in the future, but 83% say PCs will live on as a commodity for the foreseeable future. Among the respondents who were current or future tablet owners, 74% said they still need a PC despite owning a tablet. Finally, Baird found that 93% of current tablet owners surveyed use Apple’s iPad. Among prospective tablet buyers, the iPad held the interest of 94.5% of respondents followed by HP’s TouchPad (10.4%), Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 (8.3%), Motorola’s XOOM (8.5%) and the HTC Flyer (4.3%). Two charts showcasing Baird’s findings follow below.

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  • http://twitter.com/#!/PitoVH787 Pito V.H

    2 more year and we see 

  • RogerDroid

    The question isn’t whether tablets will replace ALL the computers in a household, but rather if they would replace ANY computers in the household.  Perhaps before a husband and wife would use two laptops, but perhaps now a husband and wife would share 1 tablet and 1 laptop.

    Also, doesn’t anyone realize that an iPad REQUIRES a computer?

  • mac pc

    Wow over 90% of ipad owners need their pc what a number. I think iWants the Xoom or the Galaxy tab is better. This means ipad sucks but wait ipad 3 is way better 99% need their pc. So apple can sell more iMac and ipad3 package and soon ibroke is free. Thank you apple.

  • Chut Pata

    It is quite simple.  When people do not have a choice, they sometimes go for the only thing available, even when it is not exactly the thing they need.

    Once they get the choice, they dump the unpopular alternate and go for the real thing.  Lot many people needed just the iPad/Tablet, but settled on buying a desktop.  When laptops became affordable, they tossed out the desktops and went for laptops.  So when tablets became affordable, people have started tossing out laptops.This is no different than the times we had no PC.  We had to rent time on mainframes.  When PCs became affordable, lot many people cancelled their subscription to mainframe timeslots.  However mainframes are still there 35 years after prophecy of their death.

  • Lawrence of Arabia

    I prefer an ultralight laptop than a tablet. the price is almost the same.

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