Tablets to edge PCs in Q4

The entire connected device market, which includes smartphones, tablets and PCs, will grow about 27.8% this year, but not because businesses and consumers are snapping up new laptops and desktops. Growth for traditional PCs continues to slow, while smartphones and tablets are picking up the slack, said IDC.

IDC predicts that shipments of tablets will surpass those of laptops and desktops combined during the fourth quarter of the year. However, PC shipments will still outnumber tablets for the entire year. IDC expects to see tablets surpass PCs on an annual basis by 2015, though smartphone shipments will outpace both by a wide margin.