Based on a recent report from research firm Canalys, tablets have been named as a key factor in strengthening the worldwide PC market. Some analyst firms have debated what category to place this new computing device in, including IDC that opted to leave tablets out of its PC market numbers, in contrast to Canalys. There are several points that need to be considered when deciding whether or not to lump tablets with traditional computers like desktops or laptops.

First, of course, are the specifications, such as screen size, processing power, computing experience and number of applications. But, it goes beyond specs. Firms should also consider what devices consumers position tablets against when purchasing. In this instance, we are considering whether tablets pose a real threat to PC sales in situations when people may buy a tablet in place of a new desktop or laptop. It does appear that their increasing popularity is making this purchasing choice consideration a growing possibility, but we feel the full extent of tablet sales in place of PC sales is yet to be seen.

Lastly, we’d like to throw out a point for discussion, which comes from our recent experience and customer communications. We are receiving a large volume of enterprise customer requests, specifically in relation to our tablet app. More employees are leveraging tablets as content creation devices and are requiring a robust Office productivity suite to facilitate such work. This is an even stronger use case in education environments where teachers and students are looking for innovative ways to use tablets to enhance the learning experience.

What do you think? Do you think tablets should be lumped with traditional computers like desktops or laptops? And, do you see more vertical markets adopting tablets in place of traditional computers?