Most important data storage events of 2013 revealed: PC sales slide

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For the past 20 years, homes, offices and schools have relied on desktop computers to be their lifeline to the internet. However, this has all changed in recent times, with the advent of the laptop, the tablet and the smartphone.

Indeed, global personal computer sales fell for the fifth quarter in a row, making it the “longest duration of decline” in history. PC shipments worldwide totalled 76 million units in the second quarter of 2013, which equated to a 10.9 year-on-year drop.

According to Gartner, the advent of cut-price tablets had hurt PC sales.

Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner, commented: "In emerging markets, inexpensive tablets have become the first computing device for many people, who at best are deferring the purchase of a PC.”

It is likely that the shift in how people use technology has changed the type of devices that are being bought. Many people now use portable devices for watching films or browsing the web from bed or the couch – something they could not achieve with a desktop.

With PC vendors no longer on top of the game in the consumer storage market, drive vendors have opted for external storage sales, acquisitions and innovative new products.

Experts also noted that there are hundreds of millions of people in the world who can afford smartphones or tablets, but not a PC, with the latter being traditionally more expensive.

As well as being challenged by more portable devices that use apps, the traditional PC format is also under threat from powerful cloud applications, which have much more power and memory than the traditional desktop.

According to ZDnet, going into 2014, PC sales are expected to continue to decline as more people understand they don’t need a PC to surf the web and email. Meanwhile, the long term market for PCs will be those who need the type of storage that PCs support such as those in creative industries, scientists and engineers.

Storetec News/Blogs “http://www.storetec.net/news-blog/most-important-data-storage-events-of-2013-revealed-pc-sales-slide”. Most important data storage events of 2013 revealed: PC sales

slide. December 31, 2013. Storetec.