Living the PC Life: Intel Study Shows Consumer 'Digital Dependence' on PCs

In contrast to frequent news articles declaring that the end is near for the PC market, a new study by IDC reports that consumers still rely on PCs most of the time.
 
The Intel-sponsored InfoBrief surveyed nearly 4,000 U.S. adults about their computing trends and purchases and found that 97 percent of them use a PC as their primary computing device. Yet conflicting reports show that PC sales are declining at rapid rates, and tablets, in particular, are eating up the market share. Lenovo reported this week that their tablet and smartphone sales outnumbered PC sales in the first fiscal quarter – a quarter in which all of the top five PC vendors saw a decline in shipments.

But Intel’s report maintains that PCs are necessary, particularly for consumers, and especially when it comes to maximizing productivity. Tablets and smartphones, it suggests, are not designed to enable users to be productive, which may explain why respondents indicated they spend 50 percent of their digital device time on a PC (compared to 31% on a smartphone and 20% on a tablet).

From a business and enterprise perspective, the jury is still out on whether tablets or traditional PCs and notebooks are more effective. With the ‘bring your own device’ trend gaining steam, many expect tablets to maintain an edge. But don’t forget to carefully analyze your business’ needs when determining whether PCs or tablets are the right fit. Be sure to evaluate the following factors when comparing devices:

• Short and long-term costs

• Integration with applications and multiple operating systems

• Storage capacity

• Screen size and interface (keyboard vs. touch)

Where do you stand? Are you a PC believer or a tablet convert?