Computer purchases would decline by 39% and cellphones would decline by 56% compared with last year, global managing consulting company Accenture said yesterday. However, sales of three-dimensional televisions were expected to rise 500%, tablet computers 160%, ebook readers 133% and smartphones 26%, the company said.

The annual survey focused on usage of and spending on 19 different consumer electronics technologies among more than 8000 consumers in eight countries: Brazil, China, India, Russia, France, Germany, Japan and the US.

"The findings raise the question as to whether, in the long run, desktop and laptop PCs in the home will be increasingly replaced by a group of newer technology alternatives such as tablet computers, netbooks, smartphones and e-book readers," said Mark Joseph, senior executive at Accenture's electronics and high-tech practice in South Africa. The survey found only 17% of survey respondents planned to buy a desktop or laptop computer in 2011, a 39% drop from 2010.

According to the survey, respondents were using multiple devices such as tablet computers for activities that used to be done on traditional computers. The research found ownership of basic cellphones dropped from 79% in 2009 to 65% in 2010. In the same period ownership of smartphones quadrupled from eight to 32%.

In the survey, cellphones were described as having basic voice capability, but not the enhanced features available on smartphones, such as internet access. Referring to 3D TVs, Accenture said as consumer electronics companies considered ways to increase demand for the devices, price emerged as the biggest lever for driving greater interest in this new technology.