The basic functioning of a personal computer (PC),coupled with affordability,is turning the tide favourably towards tablet PCs with the segment growing phenomenally for the second consecutive year. As per hardware body Manufacturers' Association of Information Technology (MAIT),tablets are cannibalising the PC market and registered a phenomenal growth of 424% in the second consecutive year. In fact,the tablet is eating into the PC and laptop market pie,with the PC market growing only 5% in 2012-13. The overall IT hardware industry scenario seems to be on a conservative side with most of the markets posting either a muted growth or decline. The year 2012-13 has been one for tablet PC with consumers preferring tablet over PC as their replacement, said JV Ramamurthy,president,MAIT. The total PC sales between April 2012 and March 2013,combining desktop computers,notebooks and netbooks,were 11.31million. While the sales of desktops stood at 6.77 million units,registering a growth of 1%,notebooks and netbooks together recorded a consumption of 4.41 million units,growing 10% over the last year. Around 21% of tablet PC purchasers were first-time buyers. However,the drastic decline in sales of PCs is a matter of concern for the industry. The overall growth of the tablet industry is impressive. However,the decline in the growth of PC is a matter of concern,which is growing by only 5%,but it is also a reality, added Anwar Shirpurwala,executive director,MAIT. The number of active Internet entities posted 17.6 million in March 2013,a growth of 11% over March 2012 while Internet penetration in 22 cities was 65% among businesses and 35% among households.
