First-time buyers prefer desktops over mobile devices

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: For several years, some industry experts have been predicting that with the growing popularity of mobile devices, the PC will soon be dead. But that’s far from the ground reality. In fact, rumours of the desktop’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Consider this: India’s PC penetration is as low as 14 PCs per 1,000 people, compared to other markets like China where PC penetration is 40 PCs per 1,000 people. There is a huge untapped market in India, which has not even experienced desktops.

The reason for such a small PC penetration in the country is primarily attributed to high cost of the computer. According to a study by Nasscom, until recently, the cost for a desktop PC in India was approximately 24 months of per capita income, the same figure for China in the same period was 4 months, and for the US it was 12 days.

Thankfully, falling prices of desktops are fueling demand. Affordability of systems will ensure that the power of computing is within the reach of the masses, hence growing the domestic desktop computer market to a respectable market size. Price sensitive first-time buyers are more likely to go for desktop PCs rather than expensive mobile devices. Even among customers who can afford expensive mobile devices, there are PC buyers who are looking for faster chips, massive storage options, different form factors, and better screens for viewing video — features mainly availed on desktop computers.

Security is another major concern in managing mobile PCs and other devices. Physical locks, software protection and security and asset management procedures should be in place before mobile devices are deployed.

Desktop PCs are now evolving into the main hub from which ancillary gadgets like notebooks, PDAs, MP3 players, and digital cameras will merge and share content. The idea is that the desktop will become a digital media repository. Like a lending library, you’ll pull what you want and leave the rest. For example, one family member could create a digital photo album while another copies digital recordings and a third watches a recorded TV show.