Still life in the PC market, analyst says

Despite all the talk surrounding tablets, smartphones and the "post-PC world," at least one analyst maintains that the PC is doing just fine and the market "is not in as dire shape as some would believe."

In a blog post, NPD Group vice president Stephen Baker states that notebook and desktop PC sales increased by approximately 20 percent in 2011 over 2010.

According to Baker, the average selling price for desktop computers was $638, up $14 from 2009. The average selling price of notebook PCs reached $764 in 2011, compared to $760 in 2009. While both these averages are slightly lower than in 2010, Baker suggests that the trend shows that the PC market is stabilizing.

Going forward, Baker expects a renewed focus on PC brand competition. Though many manufacturers have turned their attention to tablet computers in recent years, several are returning to more traditional technology, as well as the burgeoning Ultrabook™ market. With this renewed focus on the PC market, competition in this space is likely to heat up once again.

Research firm Gartner isn't as bullish in its outlook for the PC market, though it does predict some growth in the coming years. According to a September 2011 report from Gartner, PC sales are expected to grow 10.9 percent in 2012 over 2011.