As if Apple has not profited from revolutionizing enough industries over the past few of years, now it has its eyes on a new target, the PC. While they have done a great job raising our expectations of what a PC and laptop can do, they are now making consumers question their assumptions once again regarding what we can expect from a multimedia device. With the introduction of the iPad, Apple sought to carve out a niche that would be initially geared for tech enthusiasts that would enjoy a product that’s a cross between a smartphone and a laptop. While many consumers did not see it at the time, the folks at Apple understood that the trend of growing Internet media consumption had created a demand for a wireless, portable media device that’s more conducive to browsing the web, using email and watching movies than the typical smartphone. Somehow, this “niche” product has become a mass marketed, household consumer electronic in just around years.

But as Apple succeeded in creating a product market, it appears they also started the cannibalization of another product market, one in which they particularly excel, the PC. Speaking at a Goldman Sachs technology conference, their new CEO, Tim Cook predicted that over time, tablets will cannibalize the PC. Since most desktops and laptops are in fact PCs rather than Macs, then the transition to tablets, a market that Apple dominates, will mainly benefit Apple.

So as tablets become more and more mainstream, and newer versions become better suited for office type work, we may find ourselves giving up our desktops and laptops. That could be a scary thought for those people that don’t yet feel 100% comfortable with traditional computers. However, one of reasons the iPad had such a successful launch was that it redefines the term user friendly. Most non tech savvy users can up an iPad, or pretty much any tablet for that matter and master the majority of its functionality within 20 minutes. So if you have yet to consider purchasing a tablet, you may want give some thought to taking the plunge and making that purchase, while you still have a choice.