A latest research from Canalys predicts a strong growth in the tablet sector forecasting 285 million units to ship in 2014 and almost 400 million in 2017.
The love for tablets continues to grow as more and more people are ditching the traditional desktops and laptops for the handy slates. Several tech companies including some well-known brands like Nokia and a few small brand vendors have joined the tablet race intensifying the competition. As these companies fight to dominate the market, Apple till now is ahead in the tablet race. A latest analysis by the research firm Canalys suggests the PC market will go through a big shuffle.
According to Canalys, tablets will dominate the PC market by grabbing a full 50 percent of all PC sales, which include tablets, desktops and laptops. Around 285 million units will be shipped in 2014 and the number will only increase in the following years, going up to 396 million in 2017.
Although Apple has gained immense dominance in the tablet market throughout 2013, the trend is likely to change. Samsung has secured a leading rank in the Android tablet shipments in third quarter with 27 percent market share. Both tech leaders will face increased challenges from other tablet vendors including Acer, Asus, Lenovo and HP, as these companies have waged a "price war" with entry-level $150 range tablets.
Even as the transition hits Apple and Samsung, Canalys predicts Microsoft will gain a secure position in the tablet PC market. The software giant is expected to grab 5 percent of the tablet sector in 2014, up from 2 percent in 2012. Canalys Research Analyst Pin Chen Tang expects Microsoft to streamline its mobile offerings and improve its app development.
"To improve its position it must drive app development and better utilize other relevant parts of its business to round out its mobile device ecosystem," Chen Tang said in a statement. "A critical first step is to address the coexistence of Windows Phone and Windows RT. Having three different operating systems to address the smart device landscape is confusing to both developers and consumers alike."
The firm also predicts "a flurry of acquisitions, mergers, and failures" in 2014 as desktop and laptop sales struggle to sustain in the ever-growing tablet market.
