Forecast: Global tablet shipments, 2012-2017

Table of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. Global Trends
  3. Regional forecasts
  4. Conclusion
  5. About Peter Crocker

1. Summary

Although tablet prices are dropping and devices are getting smaller, competition from emerging connected devices such as wearables, “phablets,” and convertible laptops is slowing market growth. The result of this is that emerging regional markets are becoming the growth drivers for this market.

Key findings from this forecast include:

  • Globally, tablet shipments were expected to grow 50 percent in 2013. Shipments of tablets worldwide will grow at a 29 percent  rate compounded annually (CAGR) from 179 million in 2013 to 427 million by 2017.
  • Tablet shipments are overtaking PC sales and global tablet sales will exceed those of PCs in 2015.
  • At 64 million units as of 2013, the U.S. remains the single largest regional market. It will continue at a healthy pace, growing at a 25 percent CAGR to over 140 million units in 2017.
  • China and emerging Asian markets will be the growth leaders. Chinese shipments will grow at a 43 percent CAGR. The rest of Asia will grow at a rate of 39 percent.
  • Android is overtaking iOS while Windows struggles and Blackberry has all but disappeared. Android-based tablets accounted for more than half of shipments in 2013.

This report is a companion to our forecasts of mobile handsets and subscribers and of mobile operating systems and broadband.

Thumbnail image courtesy of shironosov/Thinkstock.

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