Future of PC: Apple – Analyst Talks Win-Lose Situation

Future of PC: Earlier today, we talked about the death of the netbook market thanks in large part to the domination of the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad tablet. In short, netbooks are a thing of the past due to the fact that tablets–particularly those made by Apple–have much more to offer in terms of features, functionality and flexibility.

While most people expected netbooks to become obsolete with the rise of tablets, many are also worried about what the future holds for the PC market.

According to a recent report by Apple Insider, with information from Chris Whitmore of Deutsche Bank, it appears that the PC market is going to continue its decline in the years to come.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) to be Added to Several WisdomTree ETFsAt first glance, this may not appear to be that big of a deal for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). However, the Cupertino-based company and its Mac computers are not immune to the decline. In fact, the article goes on to talk about a “sales dip” of 7.5 percent year over year.

Whitmore added that “PC profitability is the next shoe to drop.” He feels that pricing will become extremely aggressive in the years to come, especially now that Dell is private once again.

What does the near future hold for the market?

Whitmore is forecasting PC sales to decline eight percent in 2013 followed by a drop of five percent in 2014. The reason for this? Tablets, such as the iPad by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), will continue to dig into sales of traditional computers.

Last week, IDC released its “steepest quarterly decline ever” in terms of PC sales. The data shows an overall market decline of nearly 14 percent year over year in Q1 2013.

With all this in mind, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) finds itself in the middle of a win-lose situation.

On one side of things, the PC market is dying slowly thanks to the increased popularity of the iPad. This means that Apple Inc. should see increased sales in the years to come.

On the other side of the equation, you have to consider the fact that Apple is taking it on the chin as far as its Mac lineup is concerned.

Do you think Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will be able to do anything to swing the PC market back in its favor, despite the fact that the rest of the industry is struggling? If possible, the company would have the best of both worlds.

Check back here for more updates on Future of PC.

DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.

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