Forecast: 315 million tablets to be shipped in 2014
Tablets to account for 65% of the mobile PC market in 2014
As expected, tablet sales overtook the PC shipments in 2013, as around 250 million tablets were sold last year. Now, NPD provides a forecast for 2014 and the next three years. According to the figures, tablet sales will continue to grow and by the end of the current year they will reach 315 million units, taking 65% of the overall mobile PCs market.
There are certain factors influencing the PC market. First, we have seen the average price of a tablet falling for a while now; hence the products are becoming more affordable. Second, due to the technology progress, tablets become really attractive in terms of specs, displays, processors, ect., thus the overall shipments grow. The analysis predicts that by 2017, tablet shipments will reach 455 million, or around 75% of the overall market.
NPD’s senior analyst adds: “Momentum for the tablet PC market is in full swing as it has become the dominant mobile PC form factor”. His company expects the market competition to intensify as many traditional PC brands such as Lenovo, HP and Dell are becoming more engaged with the tablet PC industry, seeing its potential and growth. As competition increases, customers will have more choices on the market, as well as more affordable products even though, according to the analyst, prices have already stabilized in some countries.
Tablets adoption is going to increase naturally on the emerging markets, NPD explains. The process would influence the traditional PC market, which is expected to shrink even more. Meanwhile, average prices of PC notebooks and ultra-slim PC notebooks are expected to increase in 2014.
[Source: The Next Web]
