This should be good news for the Mac and the iPad: the global market for personal computing devices, including personal computers and tablets, is set to grow 3.8% in 2024, reaching 403.5 million units, according to the latest forecast from (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker.
While personal computers (PCs) have dominated the discussion, driven primarily by the artificial intelligence (A)I PC marketing combined with the approaching end of support for Windows 10, tablets are leading the charge with nearly double-digit growth projected for the year, per the research group.
Worldwide tablet shipments are expected to grow 9.8% this year, outpacing the 0.8% growth in PCs. However, 2025 is expected to be a year of recovery for PCs, with growth anticipated at 4.3%, according to IDC.
The buzz around Artificial Intelligence (AI) has dominated tech news in the last couple years, most recently focused around on-device AI capabilities. However, many corporate budgets are constrained due to the overall macro environment, and companies are continuing to evaluate the need for AI PCs/Tablets, which often come at a higher cost.
“There seems to be a big disconnect between supply and demand as PC and platform makers are gearing up for AI PCs and tablets to be the next big thing, but the lack of clear use cases and a bump in average selling prices has buyers questioning the utility.” Says Jitesh Ubrani, research manager with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. “It’s now up to Microsoft, Apple, and Google to prove the need for locally processed AI to avoid a backlash from hardware makers and end users.”
