Notebook sales increasing in emerging markets

The notion that the world has entered a so-called post-PC era may be misleading. Mobile devices, such as tablet computers and smartphones, are gaining ground in developed markets, but a study from research firm DisplaySearch shows PCs, especially notebooks, are still going strong in emerging regions.

The research firm estimates that notebook sales in mature markets will reach 91.8 million in 2011. This is a slim decline from 2010, when notebook shipments hit 94.6 million.

In contrast, notebook sales in emerging markets are climbing steadily. DisplaySearch projects that 96.2 million notebooks will ship in emerging markets in 2011. By 2017, this figure is expected to reach around 253.3 million, compared to 166.7 million in mature markets.

While notebook shipments will be higher in emerging markets, tablet sales will not be insignificant. According to the report, only 3.9 million tablets shipped in emerging markets in 2010. By 2017, this figure is expected to reach 185.4 billion.

Research firm Gartner projects that nearly 70 million tablets will ship worldwide in 2011. As both mature and emerging markets adjust to the new technology, it is evident that these shipments will skyrocket.