Research firm Gartner has released the predictions for tablets, PCs and smartphones for this year and next year, suggesting a revivals of PC market this year and tablet domination in 2015.
People who predicted the end of the massive PC business might have been a little hasty going by the latest statistics for 2014 and 2015 revealed by the research company Gartner.
The new report shows the PC market is expected to slightly revive to 2.9 percent this year, after a devastating decline of 9.5 percent last year.
The global PC market, which includes desktops, notebooks and premium ultramobiles such as Apple's MacBook Air, is expected to be 308 million units this year. But the number will jump back to almost 317 million next year, matching the shipment figures of 2013.
The revival in figures can be attributed to premium ultramobiles, while traditional PCs will continue to decline individually, says the research firm.
"2014 will be marked by a relative revival of the global PC market," Gartner Research Director Ranjit Atwal said in a statement, Monday. "Business upgrades from Windows XP and the general business replacement cycle will lessen the downward trend, especially in Western Europe. This year, we anticipate nearly 60 million professional PC replacements in mature markets."
Gartner also predicted the shipments of all devices combined, including smartphones, tablets and PCs is expected to reach 2.4 billion units this year - a 4.2 percent increase compared to last year. Mobile phones and tablets will play a major role in contributing to the growing sales of electronics.
If the trend continues, tablets will take over PCs for the first time ever, echoing Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' prediction of the shift in 2010. Global shipments of tablets will reach 256 million this year, up 23.9 percent from last year, and will continue to grow and cross 320 million units by 2015.
As for mobile phone shipments, the number is expected to reach 1.9 billion this year and will continue to outperform all other categories as it may reach almost 2 billion next year. Gartner also notes that smartphones will become a popular choice among consumers, accounting for 88 percent of the global mobile phone market sales by 2018, up from 66 percent this year.
