Adam Satariano

Consumer-electronic shoppers are increasingly favoring tablets and smartphones at the expense of personal computer sales, according to a report from research firm Gartner Inc. Shipments of tablets are estimated to jump 70 percent in 2013 as more lower-priced models are released, while smartphones such as Apple Inc.’s iPhone and Samsung Electronic Co.’s Galaxy S4 will advance 48 percent, according to Gartner. By contrast, desktops, full-size laptops, lightweight notebooks and computers that are convertible into tablets will fall 3.5 percent, Gartner said. Shipments of traditional PCs will drop 7.6 percent, the researcher said. Customers are using mobile devices for a...

Apple Inc.’s (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone 5 drew accolades from technology-gadget critics, who praised the smartphone’s lightweight body design, bigger screen and swifter data-download speeds even as some faulted its mapping tools. The iPhone 5, which is scheduled to reach stores Sept. 21, is the best smartphone on the market, map-software flaws aside, according to Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal. Ed Baig of USA Today said the device keeps Apple ahead of rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co., and Rich Jaroslovsky of Bloomberg called it the “handsomest phone you can buy.” The mostly positive reviews stand to fuel...

Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL)  is releasing a fresh lineup of computers and software tools to woo consumers and keep developers making applications amid accelerating rivalry from Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG), Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) and, now, Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB). Apple will use the Worldwide Developers Conference starting today in San Francisco to debut Mac computers with high-definition screens, as well as features for the software that powers its iPhone and iPad. Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of product marketing, will probably emcee the keynote. Leadership in the consumer-electronics industry hinges on a company’s ability to get developers...