Slumping PC market shows a glimmer of hope in first quarter

The long-suffering personal computer market may be finally recovering from the damage inflicted by the shift to smartphones and tablets.

International Data Corp. estimates that PC shipments during the first quarter rose by nearly 1 percent from last year. The modest gain marks the first quarterly increase in five years, a stretch that has seen people increasingly rely on mobile devices for their computing needs.

A separate report by Gartner wasn't as upbeat. That research firm estimated PC shipments fell by 2 percent in the first quarter.

The two firms measure the PC market in different ways, accounting for the contrasting conclusions.

Both reports concurred that PC makers are being helped as business replace machines that are several years old. Consumers, though, remain reluctant buyers.