Rise of mobility shifting computing landscape

The surging popularity of smartphones and tablet computers has caused a stir throughout the computing industry. As those in the industry continue to shift their efforts from traditional to mobile computing, a significant change may be on the horizon.

As San Jose, California-based news provider Mercury News asserts, the rise of mobile devices "promises to scramble the hierarchy of tech companies." Those that were once dominant in the PC market may see their leads slip away with the emergence of companies that offer greater mobile solutions.

For example, Google -- once recognized solely for its search engine business -- has proven to be a serious contender in the mobile software industry, as its Android™ is now one of the fastest-growing mobile operating systems. According to research firm In-Stat, Android and Apple's iOS™  will account for 90 percent of the tablet OS market by 2017.

Mercury News' Chris O'Brien points out that PCs are not expected to disappear, but, given the enthusiasm surrounding mobile devices in both the consumer and enterprise sectors, PCs may take the backseat for the foreseeable future.

Tech news source Mobile Bloom echoes O'Brien's assertion that, despite the tablet's popularity, PCs are here to stay. Mobile Bloom states that the presence of a physical keyboard is the key advantage PCs hold over tablets.