While tablet sales continue to chip away at PCs, in what Steve Jobs famously referred to as the "post-PC" era, Lenovo is not giving up on all-purpose computers.
"We don't live in a post-PC world," Lenovo Chief Executive Yuanqing Yang told Reuters. "We are entering the PC plus era."
The PC makers that are suffering, according to Yang, are those that do not innovate and adapt to the new needs of their users.
"In our industry many players think PCs have become a commodity product," he added. "We have never thought this way."
Tablet hybrids to the rescue
Yang's solution of PC plus comes from the increasingly common range of devices that can bridge the gap between PCs and tablets.
Conveniently, Lenovo's own hybrid notebooks like the ThinkPad Twist and IdeaPad Yoga fit the bill. According to Reuters they have already been met with success, capturing a combined 40 percent of U.S. PC market share in the $900 and above range since launching in Oct. and Nov. respectively.
At CES 2013 Lenovo expanded its lineup with the ThinkPad Helix and IdeaPad Yoga 11S both offering convertible notebooks in the 11.6-inch display size.
Lenovo is not the only manufacturer going the hybrid route, as 2012 saw launches for laptops like the Toshiba Satellite U920T, Dell XPS 12, and Asus Taichi. Asus also announced at CES a first attempt at a desktop-tablet hybrid with the Transformer AiO.
Of course, regular PCs are still around, regardless of what any company says about "post-PC" or "PC plus." Markets are shifting though, and tablets are becoming increasingly PC-like with larger sizes and keyboard docks, so it will be interesting to see whether these "PC plus" options have staying power or end up as the next netbook.
Via Reuters
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