PC Sales Plunge, Now at a 'Crossroads'

Bleak new data today shows that the personal-computer business is struggling even more than expected, reports the Wall Street Journal. Shipments fell more than 8% in the third quarter, and projected shipments for the full year are expected to dip for the first time in more than a decade. Part of the quarterly decline can be chalked up to people waiting until Microsoft unveils Windows 8 later this month, but whether the launch can make a real difference is an open question in an age of tablets and smartphones.

"This is definitively a crossroads" for the industry, says an analyst at IDC. "It could be a make or break moment." (More PCs stories.)