iPads lead the revolution of the PC

Tablets could lead to more natural ways of interacting with technology, according to analysts...

The ways people use iPads and other touchscreen tablets are set to transform the demands placed on PC developers, according to analystsPhoto: Apple/Samsung/silicon.com

The humble mouse and keyboard will no longer cut it with computer users raised on the touchscreen interfaces of the Apple iPad and its kin, according to an analyst's report.

Multitouch has become a mainstay for high-end mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, and users will increasingly expect to be able to use this technology on their PCs, according to the report by analyst house Gartner.

"Thin and light mobile PCs with tablet-like features will become mainstream, pushing out some bulkier PC styles that have been the norm," Angela McIntyre, research director at Gartner, said in a statement.

For an increasing number of people, their first experience of computing will be on a touchscreen device like the iPad, McIntyre said, leading them to expect similar features from other devices they use.

PCs will need to include multitouch interfaces if they are to exploit the increasing number of apps that rely on touchscreen controls, according to the report.

Multitouch and other new intuitive user interfaces will also be essential for computing devices to break into new markets, McIntyre added.

Debate over the whether the desktop PC is dead was sparked recently when one of the men who designed the first IBM PC said desktops are on their way out as consumers choose tablets instead.