Tablets are about to hit a major milestone. The sales of personal computers will take a hit for the first time in the fourth quarter due to the rise of tablets, according to new findings from IDC.
The research firm credits the consumer shift to portability, lower-cost smartphones and tablets, and mobile-device functionality equal to current laptops and computers.
“The overall smart-connected device market is expected to grow 10.6% in 2013, but that growth will slow to 3.1% by 2017 as the market becomes more saturated. The firm predicts that as the market becomes more heavily saturated, low-cost devices will become increasingly important, especially for emerging markets and the education sector.â€
PC shipments are still expected to supersede tablets for the complete year, but will fall below mark for tablets in the fourth quarter. Tablets are expected to beat out PCs overall by 2015. IDC predicts the high growth rate for tablets will shift thanks to phablets, smartphones with larger screens (approximately 5 inches or larger). The oversized smartphones are expected to chip into tablet sales down the line, furthering the argument that  size isn’t everything when it comes to scoring a worthy tech find.
As the holiday shopping season nears, will you cross PCs off your list and instead choose a mobile device? Let us know your choice in the comments section below.