Computers have come a long way since the days of Charles Babbage (he invented computers, just in case you didn’t know). They’ve gotten smaller and more powerful at the same time. From the automatic coffee machine in the corner of your office to the entire International Space Station, almost all devices today are driven by a micro-computer. We just don’t realise it because most of us only have one definition of the computer – It’s a desktop PC.
NOTE: When I say “desktop PC” or just “PC”, I am referring to both the Windows desktops and the Macs. Contextually, it also include all of the laptops.
The PC rose to dominance in the mid-80s and quickly took over the world. Through the last decade of the twentieth century, computer found its way into millions of homes and virtually every workplace in the world. Like machinery in the industrial age, the PC became an indispensable part of the internet age. The desktop computer was the hero of the Modern Era.
But now we’re looking at the birth of the Post-Modern Era – A new hero has risen. Ushered in by the unprecedented growth and popularity of smartphones, the tablet is fast becoming a preferred choice of the working professional. But the question is: Can it, though? Can the iPad really replace the personal computer?
The ad urges the user to “imagine what your computer can do, if your computer was an iPad.” The wording of the ad leaves nothing to the imagination. Apple’s positioning is clear — the iPad is going to replace your desktop.
Tim Cook has also been heard mouthing phrases like “post-PC era” publicly. Clearly, he believes that the age of personal computers has come to an end. But I don’t think so. I am not saying the iPad is not a threat. To the PC world, this is the single greatest threat. However, I don’t think the era of PC is over yet.
Why desktops are so hard to replace?
The greatest reason has to be multitasking. Desktops allow us to get things actually done! Most work processes today need you to manage multiple streams of work simultaneously. You’re watching the trending list, tweeting about an event, answering emails etc. Also, Skype is running in the background, you’re watching the latest movie trailer, and (if your office network allows it) you’re also illegally downloading a torrent 🙂
This is why tablets are finding so hard to win the battle. They’re incapable of handling so many processes with so much ease. Not because they don’t have the computing power — the iPad Pro today is more powerful than most computers just half a decade old. It’s because their very OS is not optimised for multitasking.
Then, there’s also the fact that every individual app is much more efficient when woking on a desktop. Even basic apps like email and Word, work so much better on a PC than on a tablet. For all their iCloud sync capabilities, even the iWork apps (Pages, Numbers and Keynote) do not offer the same ease of use on an iPad as their counterparts on the Mac.
My point is this:
The world invented computers for a reason — to get things done faster and easier. And while the iPads are excellent tools of productivity for many professions, they still can’t beat the desktop PC when it comes to fulfilling the above two goals. Compactness and lightweight are hardly the consideration of an office worker when she’s choosing a computer!
Just like the floppy disk was replaced by CD/DVD, which was replaced by the USB, which is now being replaced by the Cloud, there will come a day when the desktop PC will be replaced.