Report: Cellular-Connected Tablets Gaining Popularity While Overall Tablet Market Declines
Shipments of tablets and two-in-one devices are expected to decline by 3.8
percent in 2015, but within that declining market the percentage of
cellular-connected device sales is expected to grow, according to a new report
from IDC.
The report, "Worldwide
Quarterly Tablet Tracker," forecasts the market size and vendor share of
two-in-ones (laptops that can convert to tablets), tablets and e-reader
devices.
According to the report, tablet sales have declined for the last two
quarters, and that downward trend is expected to continue through 2015.
However, IDC expects cellular-connected tablets and two-in-ones to increase
their percentage of the market share compared to WiFi only devices.
While cellular-connected devices held 31 percent of the tablet market in
2014, IDC expects that percentage to grow to 33 percent in 2015 and 40 percent
in 2019. Meanwhile, WiFi only devices held 69 percent of the market in 2014,
and IDC expects that percentage to decline to 67 percent in 2015 and 60 percent
in 2019.
IDC also forecasts a decline in sales of small-screen tablets as a result of
the growing popularity of phablets, as smartphones with oversized displays are
called. While small-screen tablets held 64 percent of the market in 2014, the
company expects that number to decline to 58 percent in 2015 and to just under
50 percent by 2019.
"This illustrates the direct impact phablets are having on the market, as
users with larger screen smartphones have tended to have less need for a tablet
with a screen size comparable to their smartphone," said Ryan Reith, program
director of Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers at IDC, in a prepared
statement.
Further information about the Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker report can
be found on IDC's
site.
About the Author
Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].