Worldwide sales of personal computers have slowed as people choose smartphones or tablet computers instead, new research shows.

China has finally surpassed the United States to become the largest PC market in the world.

Shipments of laptops rose by 43.4 per cent in the first three months of 2010, compared to the same period last year, according to market research company Gartner. A large part of the growth was due to a 71 percent bump in netbook sales, which Gartner doesn't expect will be affected by the arrival of Apple's iPad and other tablets.

Expanding PC sales in emerging market is increasing the rate of software piracy, according to a recent study by industry watchers.

Apple will report selling another record number of Macs in the final quarter of 2009 when it unveils its financial figures later this month, a Wall Street analyst said Thursday in a note to clients.