PC sales in the first quarter of this year suffered, and analysts are placing the blame on the tablet market and the disaster in Japan.
Global PC shipments dropped 3.2% in the first quarter compared to the same period last year, according to industry analyst group IDC. IDC analysts called the decline the first contraction in the global PC market since the end of the recent recession.
Analysts at Gartner also reported a decline, but gave a smaller drop of 1.1%.
"Weak demand for consumer PCs was the biggest inhibitor of growth," said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner, in a statement. "Low prices for consumer PCs, which had long stimulated growth, no longer attracted buyers. Instead, consumers turned their attention to media tablets and other consumer electronics."
Kitagawa said there was a direct connection between Apple's release of the iPad2 and the drop in interest in traditional PCs.
"With the launch of the iPad2 in February, more consumers either switched to buying an alternative device, or simply held back from buying PCs," he added. "We're investigating whether this trend is likely to have a long-term effect on the PC market."
IDC noted that the firm had previously made a conservative forecast for the first quarter, predicting only 1.5% growth in shipments. But their expectations ended up being too optimistic after businesses remained cautious about spending, consumers lost enthusiasm for PCs and the earthquake in Japan affected not only PC supplies but investments in PCs in that country, as well.
