IDC: Tablet Sales To Plummet But Detachables Will Rise

Sales of tablet devices as set to plummet over the next few years as consumers look for more of an all-round experience, new estimates have claimed.

IDC’s latest tablet forecast predicts that worldwide tablet shipments will drop to 195 million units in 2016, down 5.9 percent from 2015, before returning to growth over the next few years.

This increase will largely be down to sales of detachable 2-in-1 devices, which are set to see a 73 percent rise in sales in 2016 as products such as Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 and the iPad Pro offer users a more powerful working device that can also support a full multimedia experience.

Flexible

And it is Windows-powered devices which are set to dominate the detachable market, with workers and consumer alike flocking to Microsoft’s products.

The incoming release of Windows 10 Mobile should help accelerate this growth, as according to IDC’s figures, Windows is set to take 53.3 percent of the detachable tablet market this year, far ahead of Android (18.2 percent) and iOS (28.5 percent).

Going forward, the firm predicts that Apple’s share will have drastically reduced by 2020, when Windows will dominate with 74.6 percent, Android on 18.1 percent and iOS only controlling 7.3 percent.

“This momentous shift in form factor will bring along the first significant impact of Windows-based devices that the tablet market has seen,” said Ryan Reith, program director with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers.

“Windows 10 seems to be making headway in both the PC and tablet markets, mainly driven by devices with larger screen sizes. Despite the free licensing on products under nine inches the growth for Windows-based tablets will be primarily on devices with displays between nine and 13 inches.

“Until we see a day where touch is introduced for Mac OS X and inroads are paved to bring Android and Chrome more closely aligned, we believe Windows remains the logical choice for detachable products.”

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