IHS iSuppli: PCs are Old School, Internet Enabled Devices New School

Posted 08/10/2011 at 4:16am | by Paul Lilly

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Don't get too attached to your PC, playa, it's going out of style, or at least that's the conclusion some will inevitably draw from IHS iSuppli's latest prediction. According to IHS iSuppli, Internet-enabled devices will outnumber Internet-connected PCs for the first time ever in 2013. It's not quite on the same level as saying the sky is falling, though don't be surprised if PC doomsayers once again come out of the woodwork.

Here's what IHS iSuppli's crystal ball revealed to the market research firm. In 2013, shipments of Internet-enabled electronics, including HDTVs, game consoles, Blu-ray players, and other gadgets, will total 503.6 million units, up more than threefold from the 161 million devices in 2010. PC shipments will barely manage half that, reaching 253.3 million units in 2013.

"These new figures are the latest evidence that the Internet is not just for PCs anymore," said Jordan Selburn, principal analyst for consumer platforms at IHS. "The Internet now is revolutionizing the consumer electronics business by delivering a range of products that can bring web-based content to homes. Increasingly, each Internet-enabled consumer electronics device is vying to become the center of what is known as the digital living room, aggregating content throughout the home and serving up movies, television programs, videos and music. In the future, consumers will be more likely to access the Internet through their televisions than via their PCs."

Not surprising, IHS iSuppli is banking on tablets taking over as the top Internet-enabled platform, a spot that currently belongs to game consoles with shipments of 50.5 million units (in 2010).