AppleInsider has a story today about market research firm NPD’s new report which has found that the iPad’s “cannibalisation” of the PC and netbook market has lessened somewhat, with those who have bought their iPad more recently less likely to have chosen to buy an iPad instead of buying a PC, which was more the case with early adopters. According to NPD’s report, only 14 percent of early iPad adopters (classed as those who have owned an iPad for six months or more) decided not to buy a PC after buying their iPad. Not a particularly big figure anyway, it has to be said, and it falls to 12 percent for those who bought their iPad in the holiday season. For netbooks, the drop in the rate of cannibalisation is even bigger, down by 50 percent for recent iPad buyers in comparison to early adopters.

"The explosion of computer sales when Windows 7 launched, as well as the huge increase in netbook sales at that time, are much more to blame for weak consumer PC sales growth than the iPad," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD. "Overall it appears that the vast majority of iPad purchases to-date have been incremental to the consumer technology industry. The conventional wisdom that says tablet sales are eating into low- priced notebooks is most assuredly incorrect," continued Baker. "The over $500 Windows consumer notebooks market is where PC sales have been impacted the most, with a 25 percent decline from October 2010 to March 2011.”

In its report, NPD says that it’s actually more likely that iPad sales have added billions of dollars to the industry’s funds following years of ASP declines draining the market.

Source: AppleInsider | NPD: iPad cannibalization of PC market has slowed, NPD

Maybe all the hype from the launch is dying down.
I love my iPad as a media consumption device, but it's still the "third" device in between my macbook and smartphone, and the iPad would be the first one to go if I had to choose to keep only two. I don't know anyone who had purchased an iPad instead of a computer.

Originally Posted by applebite

Maybe all the hype from the launch is dying down.
I love my iPad as a media consumption device, but it's still the "third" device in between my macbook and smartphone, and the iPad would be the first one to go if I had to choose to keep only two. I don't know anyone who had purchased an iPad instead of a computer.

You have given me interesting food for thought.
While in my case, I two would place my iPad third if had to make a choice between my MacBook, iPad or iPhone, interestingly or ironically enough, my iPad is what I use the most out of the three.
Problem is my MyBook doesn't need my iPad like my iPad does rely on my MacBook.
Also, I can't make calls without my iPhone.
In the end, just darn glad I don't have to make that awful choice to get rid of any of them.

Very interesting thoughts here. However, I do not think that it will come to a stage that I will have to choose between my Linux Machine, iPad and Nokia PDA. The reason being, I do not mix work and pleasure on the same gear. Whilst at work, i use my iPad not only tocheck my personal mail, but also FB and Twitter updates, not forgetting the news update on BBC, NYT etc. Many of the Apps on the iPad in fact comes to my rescue for exchange rates, graphic calculator, and the capability to use the iPad for taking notes and even recording idea whiuch i finally work on my PC.

The ipad as such is more of a tool for me than just a consumption device. Web browsing is not much of my piority and thus I can safely say that only 15% of my total usage of the iPad is shared between iPod, YouTube and Photos. Around 30% for working on emails. 20% for reading various magazines (photography, electronics, cameras etc) on Zinio, 25% for reading news and updates on BBC, NYT, NDTV etc and remaining 10% for FB, Twitter, Web browsing and other relatyed activity.

None of the above activity is done on my work PC or home Linux Machine, therefore I can safely say that iPad is here to stay unless and until a better device, more efficient than the apple offspring comes along, which IO very must doubt.

For me it's not APple rocks, but iPad indeed rocks.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

I mean the numbers do show. I haven't touch my desktop or laptop since I have picked up my iPad. If the iPad had a built in disk drive I would be set. Honestly though the iPad is a great tool but you can't beat a laptop if you have to do some serious work or gaming.

Blueface,

You can make calls and send texts from your iPad when you download the Line2 app from the App store. It is made for iPhone (which I have it installed on my iPhone also) but it works great on the iPad 2 also. They have good usage videos and a 30 day free trial. I save at least $25.00 a month on my phone bill by using Line 2.

My iPad is my first device, the one I use on a daily basis for web access. I do use my laptop for photo processing and some word processing but that's about it. My iPhone only for phone calls and in fact, i hardly use it for content access, i don't see a need to replace my iPhone in the next go-round.

i too have it as third, i have my windows XP laptop, my blackberry, and my ipad as third, i used it more than everyone else, but its the first one for me if i had to let go, any of them!

I use my iPad primarily for media consumption and email. I can use it to access my other computers, or provide remote support to my customers, but rarely do. It's good for note taking, and better than my Android phone for replying to email. As I do network support, it can't even replace my netbook, which I also use for data recovery at times. I really enjoy it, but I'm not sure it's even my third device!