Smartphones 'out sell' PCs for first time • The Register

Computing and communication get more personal and more mobile

According to the device counters at IDC, makers of smartphones shipped 100.9 million devices in the fourth quarter of 2010, an 87.2 per cent increase from the 53.9 million units that were consumed in the final quarter of 2009. For the first time, smartphones have surpassed PCs in terms of number of units shipped in a quarter. In Q4 2010, with the PC market recovered but losing some steam, PC makers shipped 92.1 million units, a year-on-year increase of only 5.5 per cent.

For the full year, consumers and businesses together bought 302.6 million smartphones, up 74.4 per cent from the 173.5 million units that went out the door in 2009. PC still reigned supreme for the full year, however, with a total of 346.2 million units shipped in 2010, up 13.6 per cent over 2009's levels.

Smartphones 'out sell' PCs for first time • The Register