IDC: Smartphones Outsold PCs Worldwide Last Quarter
It may strike some of you as shocking, but it's really not too much of a
surprise: more smartphones were sold in the last quarter than actual PC
computers. Even three years this would have been a huge, huge deal, but
these days? Smartphones are everywhere, and they're still becoming more
and more important and in-demand. PCs, meanwhile, aren't nearly as
"hot" of an item, and many people are learning that they can delay new
PC purchases and continue using the machine they already own to check
email, check up on news and compose Word documents.
Phones, however, are more like an accessory. Something that has style and fashion attached to it, and something that people are just more willing and ready to upgrade. According to new research from IDC, 100.9 million smartphones were sold in the final three months of 2010 (globally), which represents an astounding 87% jump year-over-year. Meanwhile, PC sales were just 3%, totaling 92.1 million worldwide.
IDC analyst Ramon Llamas points out that the two trends aren't necessarily related, but it's hard to not look at the trends happening now and do the math yourself. Phones are booming. PCs are lagging. That's just how it's happening. The mobile sector is poised to really take off, while standalone desktops are both boring and immobile. Will this trend ever reverse? We highly doubt it. If desktops ever begin to outsell phones or mobile devices again, that would definitely be one of the more shocking cases of "history repeating itself."
Phones, however, are more like an accessory. Something that has style and fashion attached to it, and something that people are just more willing and ready to upgrade. According to new research from IDC, 100.9 million smartphones were sold in the final three months of 2010 (globally), which represents an astounding 87% jump year-over-year. Meanwhile, PC sales were just 3%, totaling 92.1 million worldwide.
IDC analyst Ramon Llamas points out that the two trends aren't necessarily related, but it's hard to not look at the trends happening now and do the math yourself. Phones are booming. PCs are lagging. That's just how it's happening. The mobile sector is poised to really take off, while standalone desktops are both boring and immobile. Will this trend ever reverse? We highly doubt it. If desktops ever begin to outsell phones or mobile devices again, that would definitely be one of the more shocking cases of "history repeating itself."
