IT specialists shun PCs in favour of mobile devices

2/8/2012 4:18:58 PM

IT specialists are increasingly turning their backs on PCs in favour of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, it has been suggested.

According to a new study published by research firm Gartner, PC shipments in Western Europe fell by 13.5 per cent in the professional sector in the fourth quarter of 2011 when compared with the corresponding period in 2010.

The decline in uptake was even greater in the consumer sector, as sales of PCs fell by 18 per cent.

Principal analyst at Gartner Meike Escherich said that many manufacturers had slashed the price of computers last year, but this was not enough to encourage sales, as the consumerisation of mobile gadgets appeared to take its toll.

"Despite aggressive pricing and special holiday deals for PCs, consumers' attention was caught by other devices, such as smartphones, media tablets and e-readers," the analyst commented.

This was further reiterated by figures recently compiled by the International Data Corporation, which showed that the uptake of high-tech mobile devices rose by 54.7 per cent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2011.