Six times more smartphones than PCs to ship by 2018 - IDC

Analyst predicts PCs will be an accessory for mobile devices in less than four years

Smartphone shipments are expected to outstrip those of PCs by more than six to one by 2018, according to IDC, which predicts traditional devices will play second fiddle to smart devices by then.

By the end of this year alone, almost 1.8 billion smart connected devices (SCDs) will be shipped globally, the analyst said – a 15.6 per cent boost compared with last year's figure. By 2018, IDC estimates the figure will grow to 2.4 billion units.

Smartphones will be behind the surge in the SCD market as a weak first quarter for tablets and PCs led the firm to lower its forecasts for those devices.

IDC said the long-term future for PCs was not looking bright.

"The PC will be the new accessory to mobile as smartphones become the first and primary computing device for many," said research director Jitest Ubrani. "IDC expects smartphone shipments to outpace total PC shipments by more than six to one in 2018.

"Apple's 'iOS-ification' of Mac OS, and Microsoft's implementation of a modern user interface throughout different form factors are clear indicators that we're living in a mobile-first world."