Worldwide Tablet Market Expected to Rebound in 2018 as Windows Opens Doors for Growth and iPads Come Out of a Slump, According to IDC

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--()--The decline of the worldwide tablet market is set to continue for the remainder of 2016 as year-over-year growth reaches an all-time low of -11.5% and shipments of 183.4 million units, according to forecast data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker. Positive growth is set to return in 2018 and continue through 2020 with shipments reaching 194.2 million tablets as detachable tablets continue to steal share from traditional PCs.

"Appealing to the commercial audience will be key as detachable tablets aim to take a larger piece of the traditional PC market," said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers. "Windows and iOS already have solid detachable offerings and with the latest version of Android, Google will also have a horse in the race as they finally offer better multitasking support and added security features."

With the shift towards detachable tablets, IDC also expects small tablets to cede share to larger devices. In 2016, 55% of all tablets will be 9 inches or smaller. By 2020, however, this share is forecast to drop to 40%. "We see smaller slate tablets being offered at very aggressive price points, leaving little room for revenues outside of a pure volume or platform play like for Amazon for instance," said Jean Philippe Bouchard, research director at IDC. "The price pressure combined with a healthier demand on larger screen sizes and detachable tablets will eventually result in an increased portfolio offering from tablet and PC manufacturers."

Although detachable tablets capture the spotlight, slate tablets will continue to account for the majority of shipments throughout the forecast. In 2016, 85% of all tablets shipped will be slates and this will decrease to 68% by 2020. Most of these will be destined for emerging markets where consumers seek out any low cost computing device.

 
Worldwide Tablet Share Forecast by OS 2015 - 2020
OS     2015     2016 Forecast     2020 Forecast
Android     67.4%     66.2%     57.8%
iOS     23.9%     22.4%     22.9%
Windows     8.6%     11.3%     19.3%
Total     100.0%     100.0%     100.0%
Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, August 30, 2016
 

Notes:

  • Total tablet market includes slate tablets plus detachable tablets. References to "tablets" in this release include both slate tablets and detachable devices.

In addition to the table above, an interactive graphic showing worldwide tablet shipments and year-over-year growth for the 2015-2020 forecast period is available here. The chart is intended for public use in online news articles and social media. Instructions on how to embed this graphic can be found by viewing this press release on IDC.com.

About IDC Trackersw
IDC Tracker products provide accurate and timely market size, vendor share, and forecasts for hundreds of technology markets from more than 100 countries around the globe. Using proprietary tools and research processes, IDC's Trackers are updated on a semiannual, quarterly, and monthly basis. Tracker results are delivered to clients in user-friendly excel deliverables and on-line query tools. The IDC Tracker Charts app allows users to view data charts from the most recent IDC Tracker products on their iPhone and iPad. The IDC Tracker Chart app is also available for Android Phones and Android Tablets.

About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading media, data and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC.

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Contacts

IDC
Jean Philippe Bouchard, 647-463-8618
jbouchard@idc.com
or
Jitesh Ubrani, 416-673-2214
jubrani@idc.com
or
Michael Shirer, 508-935-4200
press@idc.com

Release Summary

According to a new forecast from IDC, positive growth will return to the tablet market in 2018 and continue through 2020 with shipments reaching 194.2 million units worldwide.

Contacts

IDC
Jean Philippe Bouchard, 647-463-8618
jbouchard@idc.com
or
Jitesh Ubrani, 416-673-2214
jubrani@idc.com
or
Michael Shirer, 508-935-4200
press@idc.com