Analysts argue on iPad's effect on PC market

Analysts firms are mixed regarding the effect the iPad and other tablet devices are having on the PC market. PC sales were down in the most recent quarter. According to the Bedford Report, some analysts are attributing the drop to the growing popularity of tablet devices. Other analysts argue that the launching of Windows 7 prompted a sales spike that boosted PC sales figures last year, leading to the current drop.

Market researchers said global PC shipments fell in the first quarter compared to a year ago, the first drop in six quarters, with research firms Gartner and IDC reporting declines of 1.1 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively. Gartner had forecast the figure would rise by 3 percent. Shipments by the top three PC makers—HP, Dell and Acer—all decreased in the quarter compared to the same period last year. Apple, however, reported a 28 percent year-on-year jump in quarterly sales, leading analysts to associate the drop of global PC shipments to Apple's launch of iPad and to the growing popularity of tablet devices.

However, some market analysts think otherwise. Analyst firm National Purchase Diary (NPD) argues that the iPad is not responsible for the drop in PC sales. Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD said, "The explosion of computer sales when Windows 7 launched, as well as the huge increase in netbook sales at that time, are much more to blame for weak consumer PC sales growth than the iPad."

Research firm Nielsen support this argument as according to their research, tablet devices took only small percent of the market share. New research from Nielsen shows that less than 5 percent of consumers surveyed owned a tablet computer. They said that the tablet computer may be little more than another tech gadget, or as Michael Dell calls it, "a third device."