Market analyst Gartner issued a statement that the PC market is showing signs of recovery, due to competitive pricing on personal computers and a growing consumer interest in netbooks. Gartner indicated that PC shipments would continue to decline worldwide through 2009 at a rate of 6 percent, but this is a slower rate than originally predicted.

Gartner’s principal analyst, George Shiffler, predicted that this will translate into a healthy market recovery in 2010, with PC shipments growing by 10.3%. He also is predicting strong fourth quarter PC shipments in 2009.

"By that time we expect the global economy to be on the recovery path. Once the economy is on a sounder footing, the demand will be strengthened," Shiffler said. Demand for PCs has been stronger and longer lasting than originally thought, with buyers responding to the falling prices of PCs. Netbooks are looking more like mainstream laptops as they get more expensive with larger screen sizes and keyboards.”  Concurrently, prices of mainstream laptops are falling, which blurs the line between both full-size laptops and netbooks.

However, consumers are discovering that netbooks are not substitutes for full screen laptops and have limited capabilities. According to Shiffler, this could drive some consumers back to full-sized laptops.

"There's a market for a low-end notebooks, it's just not clear if it's only the mini-notebook. It's going to get very interesting to see what happens," Shiffler said. Shipment of netbooks, which Gartner refers to as mini-notebooks, will reach 21 million this year and 30 million in 2010, according to Shiffler.