New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS): The personal computer (PC) market in India is expected to register sales of 12.71 million units in 2012, 14 percent higher than the estimated 11.15 million units during the current year, said a study.

With nearly 10 million unit sales in 2010, the combined installed base of desktop and notebook personal computers in India is estimated to have crossed 52 million units as of Dec 31, 2010, according to a study by market intelligence firm CyberMedia Research.

The current installed base of personal computers translates into one computer for every 25 Indians, doubling the per capita PC availability in just four years. At the end of 2006, there was approximately one computer for every 50 Indians.

"The future growth of the India PC market will be driven by adoption of new form factors such as LED monitors in the commercial desktop space, netbooks, ultra lightweight notebooks and tablet computers in the portable space," said Anirban Banerjee, associate vice president (research and advisory services), CyberMedia Research.

The research firm expects the tablets, launched in India in November 2010, to become the new battleground as major MNCs and Indian vendors and operators race to capture a share of this emerging market.

In the first five months of launch in India, nearly 85,000 tablets were sold until March 2011.

The first tablet computer was launched in India in November 2010. Since then, the market saw a slew of launches from both MNCs and Indian players.

While models like Cisco's Cius and RIM's Blackberry Playbook tablets are focused on the enterprise user segment, the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Reliance 3G Tab are focused on the consumer segment. Reliance 3G Tab manufactured by ZTE, retails at Rs.12,999 per unit.