Yesterday Apple CEO Steve Jobs told a techie audience that Windows was doomed. A day later, Microsoft's head honcho has retorted that he sees PC sales growing as technology adapts to consumer demands.

Speaking at the D: All Things Digital Conference on Tuesday night, Apple CEO Steve Jobs predicted a steady decline for Microsoft's Windows operating system as more people move towards alternative platforms for their web needs. Rather than power up Windows-based PCs, Jobs said, more and more people will start using smartphones, tablet computers, and more portable options.

Microsoft CEO Says PCs Will Adapt

Just a day later, the Redmond-based company's CEO has responded. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Thursday told an audience at the Wall Street Journal's D8 conference that he thought more people would use PCs in the future, not less.

"I think people are going to be using PCs in greater and greater numbers for many years to come ... PCs will look different next year and the year after. They'll get smaller and lighter," Ballmer said.

"Nothing people do on a PC is going to get less relevant tomorrow. There will exist a general purpose device to do everything you want. The PC as we know it will continue to morph form factors. The real question is what you do with it." (Source: cbsnews.com)

Thus, PCs will simply adapt to the changing demands of consumers, Ballmer believes.

Apple, Microsoft to Cross Paths

Thus, Ballmer doesn't see Windows or PCs being phased out any day soon. Instead, he thinks tablet computers like the iPad are merely a natural outgrowth of the PC market, and that computers will, in the future, come in a variety of shapes and styles.

As such, Ballmer thinks plenty of tablet computers will run Windows, even adding that Microsoft and Apple could potentially "run into each other" in the future. (Source: crn.com)

Industry analysts Gartner don't see the PC slowing down any time soon, either. It's predicted that there will be a 22 per cent increase in shipments of PCs this year alone.