Here’s an updated forecast from IDC.
According to the latest forecast from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, worldwide tablet shipments are expected to reach 221.3 million units in 2013, down slightly from a previous forecast of 227.4 million but still 53.5% above 2012 levels.
Shipment growth is forecast to slow to 22.2% year over year in 2014 to a total of 270.5 million units. By 2017, annual market growth will slow to single-digit percentages and shipments will peak at 386.3 million units, down from the previous forecast of 407 million units.
One key factor to watch going forward is the mix of small vs. large tablets. The market has trended toward small tablets in a big way over the last 24 months, but the rise of large phones could well push consumers back toward larger tablets as the difference between a 6-inch smartphone and a 7-inch tablet isn’t great enough to warrant purchasing both. Apple’s launch of the iPad Air, a much thinner and lighter version of its 9.7-inch product, could herald another market transition back toward larger screens, presuming consumers are willing to pay the higher costs associated with bigger screens.
Charts from IDC
Tablet OS Market Share, 2012 – 2017
| Tablet OS |
2012 Market Share |
2013 Market Share* |
2017 Market Share* |
| Android |
52.0% |
60.8% |
58.8% |
| iOS |
45.6% |
35.0% |
30.6% |
| Windows |
0.9% |
3.4% |
10.2% |
| Other |
1.4% |
0.8% |
0.4% |
| Grand Total |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, December 2013
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