The sales of personal computers are expected to continue to drop amid the rising demand for tablets and smartphones, according to industrial sources.

This year’s global sales of computers and laptops are expected to have dropped 10 percent from last year, according to market research company International Data Corporation. Global shipments fell 9.7 percent to 315 million units.

“As tablets’ overall specifications including performance, speed and display are improving, more users have turned to the portable handsets,” Seoul-based Etrade Securities’ analyst Kim Byung-ki said.

Samsung Electronics, the nation’s leading electronics maker, has also shifted its focus to tablets from computers and laptops. It reportedly set next year’s computer target at 6 million-7 million units, half of this year’s estimated 13.6 million, at a meeting in October. Key executives including chief of the consumer electronics business Yoon Boo-keun and head of the IT and mobile business Shin Jong-kyun attended the meeting.

Shin said at the company’s analyst day in early November that this year’s tablet sales are expected to hit 40 million units and the company is “aiming to be the top in the market.”

“Samsung tablet sales are expected to grow 130 percent to $33.6 billion in 2015, up from $14.6 billion in 2013,” Shinhan Investment Corp. analyst John Seo said.

“Apple will continue to focus on high-end tablets while Samsung will take aim at a more diverse segment, and Taiwanese companies will target mid- and low-end products,” analyst Kim said.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)