Global sales of electronic devices including PCs, tablets and mobile phones hit 2.4 billion units this year, with the mobile segment leading the way, a US survey shows.
The survey by Gartner Inc. suggests a moderation in the declining PC market, predicting that tablet sales will overtake the traditional computer by 2015.
Gartner analysts said on Monday the tablet market is cooling a bit, with growth slowing to 23.9 per cent this year, around half the pace of 2013. The PC market meanwhile is seeing relative stability - with a decline expected of 2.9 per cent after a 9.5 per cent drop last year.
Gartner analyst Ranjit Atwal said PC sales are being helped by upgrades and replacements of aging devices.
"This year, we anticipate nearly 60 million professional PC replacements in mature markets," he said.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Atwal noted that the PC segment that is growing is the so-called "ultramobile" of premium laptop, while traditional desktop and notebook sales are lagging.
Sales of mobile phones are expected to reach 1.9 billion units in 2014, a 3.1 per cent increase - with smartphones accounting for two-thirds of the total.
Taking into account all the devices, Google Android is expected to represent around half of all sales - 1.16 billion, Gartner said. Windows devices will account for 333 million while Apple's iOS and MacOS will total 271 million, the report said.
