Tablet sales set to outstrip laptop sales
Over the last few years, tablets have been becoming increasingly popular: 2013 saw 1/3 of people in the UK owning a tablet and 103 million tablets, (and eReaders,) in circulation in the United States.
Tablets outsell laptops
The details
In the first quarter of 2014, 50 million tablets were shipped worldwide, a growth, (as noted by the IDC,) of 11%. Projected figures suggest that, by 2015, 321 million tablets will ship worldwide. At the same time, sales of desktop computers, laptops and notepads are set to fall. Analysts predict that combined sales of these devices will diminish, (317 million units by 2015.) Tablet sales will then outstrip desktop and laptop sales.
Despite these telling figures, the fact that businesses still use desktops and laptops means that these products will still have a place in the computing market. The withdrawal of support for Windows XP, (and the subsequent wholesale purchase of more up-to-date models,) provides an example of how the business replacement cycle boosts sales of desktop computers and laptops.
Interestingly, tablets appeal to multiple generations. (For example, the rise in eReader sales amongst the elderly has led to a rise in tablet sales also.)Whereas, in the past, households would share a tablet, today it is increasingly likely that each family member will own their own, personal device.
Some of the best-selling tablets are those manufactured by major corporations, (among them, Apple and Samsung.) However, a good number of people prefer to purchase cheaper, touchscreen alternatives, (for family use, for example.) That being said, the fact that most people encounter tablets in their everyday lives, whether at the office, at home or at school, means that they have become, to many, part of the fabric of society. In this vein, tablet sales will no doubt continue to rise.
