Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile

    iPad Mini, Android Devices Boost Tablet Market: IDC

    By
    Nathan Eddy
    -
    December 5, 2012
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      With the long-awaited Apple iPad Mini tablet finally on the market, a plethora of devices running Google’s Android operating system finding favor with consumers, and Microsoft’s late entry in the race, the Surface, now available, IDC increased its 2012 forecast for the worldwide tablet market to 122.3 million units, up from its previous forecast of 117.1 million.

      IDC forecasts tablet sales will reach 172.4 million units in 2013, up from the 165.9 million units previously predicted, while by 2016 worldwide shipments should reach 282.7 million units, up from a previous forecast of 261.4 million units.

      “Tablets continue to captivate consumers, and as the market shifts toward smaller, more mobile screen sizes and lower prices points, we expect demand to accelerate in the fourth quarter and beyond,” Tom Mainelli, IDC’s research director for tablets, said in a statement. “Android tablets are gaining traction in the market, thanks to solid products from Google, Amazon, Samsung and others. And Apple’s November iPad Mini launch, along with its surprise refresh of the full-sized iPad, positions the company well for a strong holiday season.”

      The increase in tablet shipments comes at the expense of e-readers, the report noted. IDC once again lowered its forecast for e-readers for 2012 and beyond, despite the fact that offerings from Amazon and Barnes & Noble have captured the interest of a subset of consumers who prefer a dedicated device for digital books.

      However, the report noted most buyers are gravitating toward multi-use tablet products and finding a “good enough” reading experience on traditional backlit tablets, as opposed to frontlit e-readers. IDC expects 2012 e-reader shipments to top out at 19.9 million units, down from the 27.7 million units that shipped in 2011.

      As the tablet market continues to pick up steam, competing operating systems highlight a changing landscape, with Android continuing to pick up market share at the expense of Apple. Android is forecast to account for 42.7 percent of the tablet market for the full year of 2012, up from 39.8 percent in 2011, while Apple’s share will slip from 56.3 percent in 2011 to 53.8 percent in 2012. Microsoft is expected to slowly take share away from Android and Apple devices, reaching 10.2 percent market share by 2016, IDC forecast.

      “The breadth and depth of Android has taken full effect on the tablet market as it has for the smartphone space,” Ryan Reith, IDC’s Mobile Device Trackers program manager, said. “Android tablet shipments will certainly act as the catalyst for growth in the low-cost segment in emerging markets, given the platform’s low barrier to entry on manufacturing. At the same time, top-tier companies like Samsung, Lenovo and Asus are all launching Android tablets with comparable to premium products, but offered at much lower price points.”

      Nathan Eddy
      A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan was perviously the editor of gaming industry newsletter FierceGameBiz and has written for various consumer and tech publications including Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, CRN, and The Times of London. Currently based in Berlin, he released his first documentary film, The Absent Column, in 2013.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×