Some analysts seem to think so. And it’s all to do with the microprocessor.

Motorola recently launched the Atrix, which many experts believe is the first of what they are calling a new breed of smartphone – not just a practical device but a fashion accessory.

According to a survey carried out by Microsoft, consumers are looking for a mobile device that is both powerful and aesthetically pleasing. The survey also found that 75% of people spend as much time deciding on what device to buy as they do on what house to purchase.

The major advance in the last couple of years which is making mobile phones a potential replacement for the PC is the dual-core processor. This latest chip development is twice as fast as the original technology used in smartphones. However while speed is one thing, a small screen is something of a let down. So, along with the development of new microprocessors comes hub technology that allows users to connect their smartphone to larger screens such as TV sets.

Plugging the smartphone into a TV set turns the latter into a kind of server for films, music and other media. What’s more lapdock technology is now available in a wireless form.

So where does this leave the PC? Potentially struggling, according to some commentators. However Microsoft’s Ashley Highfield disagrees. He told the Daily Telegraph: “Multiple devices, connected together in an open way still require a PC at the heart of it… But computers are now going to be sold much more around what people are doing.”