14 DAY TRIAL // What do we know at the moment? Well, the PC business is definitely reshaping.
In the past two months, IBM sold the PC division to Lenovo of China (in December 2004) for 1,4 billion USD. Let's not forget that it was IBM who created the legendary IBM PC in 1981, and in the next two decades we were talking only about IBM PC and IBM compatible PC.
Even before the PC industry was dominated by Amiga, TRS, Commodore and Apple PCs, none had the power and determination that IBM could bring to this market. Do not forget that even the beginning of Microsoft is related to IBM PC.
On another level, HP decided in January 2005 to create a new division of business by merging Printing&Imaging division with PC division, a 47 billion business in HP Empire.
Is this the end of PC era as we knew it ? And if it's true what are the alternative choices ?
The first major competitor of the PC is not another similar device as you may think, but a whole concept: mobility.
Mobile phones get better, faster, cheaper with a lot of options that we are used to have on our PC's and also this is the case with many personal digital assistants (PDAs). With camera, wireless connection to the internet and other cool features, the younger generation seems to spend far more on these devices, which are in general much cheaper than a PC.
Another competitor for PC industry is Apple who on this year at MacWorld has launched the "Mac Mini". It costs only 499 USD and can be attached to a monitor or TV. With this device (and with the millions of sales of the king iPOD) Apple has proved that he can make great products.
On the other hand, the PC industry sold last year 140 million PC and over the past couple of years, the PC industry has been going through rapid consolidation.
Half-a-dozen vendors dominate the hardware market. PC hardware has become a commodity to be 'moved' fast by 'logistics' companies.
Users no longer feel any excitement in new releases of software products. Nor are the products offering any 'dream come true' features.
In short, the 'innovation circle' has moved its centre out of the PC arena.
But this doesn't mean necessary the end of the PC era. But we will see almost every month a new versions of PC: Tablet PC, Media PC, Auto PC and even Kitchen PC.
One thing is clear ..the PC is going under changes ?How your next PC or even (why not?) your PC's will look and react in the next few years is hard to predict, but definitely it's going to be something new. Or no ?