iPad injects billions into PCs

Twice.

The research firm is crediting the iPad with injecting billions of dollars into the PC category via sales of the device itself and aftermarket accessories.

The report stated that almost 75% of iPad purchasers said they had no intention of buying anything else, which means the iPad sale did not come at the expense of another PC or laptop sale.

Many analysts have attributed the latest slump in portable PC sales to cannibalisation by the iPad, claiming that consumers are opting for the popular tablet instead of buying notebooks and netbooks, reveals Cnet.

But NPD's Stephen Baker disagrees, saying the rate of cannibalisation has actually dropped in recent months.

Surveying Apple iPad owners in March, NPD's 'Apple iPad Owner Study II' report found that only 14% of early iPad buyers - those who've owned one for six months or more - chose an iPad instead of a PC. And over the recent holiday season, that number dropped to 12%, according to Baker.

The number of people forgoing a netbook purchase in favour of an iPad is on an even steeper decline, down by 50% among more recent iPad buyers, writes The Independent.

“The explosion of computer sales when Windows 7 launched, as well as the huge increase in netbook sales at that time, are much more to blame for weak consumer PC sales growth than the iPad,” says Baker.

PC sales for Windows consumer notebooks over $500 have been impacted the most, with a 25% decline from October 2010 to March 2011, he adds.

While NPD's study suggests iPad sales are not cannibalising the consumer PC market, a 5 May study by market analyst Nielsen found that consumers are ditching their laptops and PCs in favour of their shiny new portable tablets.