Digital Lifescapes

The worldwide media tablet market contracted in the first quarter of 2017 (1Q17) with total shipments of 36.2 million -- that's a year-over-year decline of 8.5 percent, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). The first quarter contraction marks the tenth straight quarter that tablets have experienced a decline over the same quarter a year earlier, with the previous five quarters recording double-digit drops. Meanwhile, the market for Google Chromebooks continues to rise, and phablets continue to gain market share. Media Tablet Market Development The tablet market is comprised of two different product categories. Devices offering a keyboard, which IDC refers to as detachable tablets, continue to grow. The other product category is slate tablets (those lacking this keyboard option), which saw shipments peak in 2014 and is now in a steep decline. "As far as most are aware, the tablet market was created in 2010 with the launch of the o...

Worldwide smartphone shipments will rebound in 2017, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). While growth is expected to be consistent, IDC predicts shipment volumes to grow by 4.2 percent in 2017 and 4.4 percent in 2018 -- with a CAGR of 3.8 percent over the 2016-2021 forecast period. Furthermore, smartphone shipments are forecast to reach 1.53 billion units in 2017, and eventually grow to 1.77 billion units by 2021. From a platform perspective, IDC doesn't expect much change throughout the forecast with Google Android accounting for roughly 85 percent of all smartphone shipments, and Apple iOS making up the rest. That said, the outlook for Microsoft-based smartphones remains grim, given the lack of OEM partner support. Smartphone Market Developmen t Although IDC anticipates that Google Android growth will gradually decline, they do not yet see a point where shipments will contract year-over-year, given the demand for new features such...

More people are satisfied with the smartphone they own and have no interest to replace the device -- that's a problem for some vendors. Worldwide smartphone shipments will reach 1.46 billion units with a year-over-year growth rate of just 1.6 percent in 2016, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). Although growth remains slightly positive, it is down significantly from the 10.4 percent growth in 2015. Much of the smartphone sales slowdown is also being attributed to the ongoing market saturation and decline expected in developed regions (such as North America) during 2016. Developed markets as a whole are expected to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -0.2 percent, while emerging markets will experience a CAGR of 5.4 percent over the 2015-2020 forecast period. Smartphone Market Development Challenges "Growth in the smartphone market is quickly becoming reliant on replacing existing handsets rather than seeking n...

The outlook for personal computer (PC) shipments continues to improve slightly, as competition from other devices eases in some markets, upgrades to new models boost demand, and economic conditions around the world stabilize or improve somewhat. But many challenges still remain. The decline in PC volume since early 2012 is expected to linger throughout 2016, with later years offering few opportunities to boost volumes as economic issues and other consumer electronic products sap the growth potential, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). In the near-term, expectations for PC growth within the fourth quarter of 2015 and early 2016 were already fairly low, as notebook computers have struggled with competition from very capable media tablets and feature-rich smartphones or phablets. The impact of falling commodity prices and foreign currencies has further depressed demand, and the ability to upgrade older hardware to Windows 10 or Linux has pr...

In developed markets, people who want a smartphone have one. And, the majority don't crave the new models. Demand for new devices still comes from the emerging markets that have yet to reach saturation. According to the latest global market study by International Data Corporation (IDC), 2015 will therefore likely be the last year of double-digit growth. IDC reports that 1.44 billion smartphone were shipped worldwide in 2015, that's up by 10.4 percent over 2014. IDC forecasts 2016 shipments of 1.5 billion, or 5.7 percent growth over 2015. The trend of single-digit year-over-year growth is forecast with volumes growing to 1.92 billion in 2020. Moreover, the global smartphone market will continue to see volumes shifting to the low-end, with the aggregate market average selling price (ASP) dropping from $295 in 2015 to $237 in 2020. Mature markets such as the United States, China, and Western Europe have already reached single digit growth in 2015. Meanwhile, markets such as ...

The worldwide media tablet market recorded lower shipments for the fourth straight quarter, with 48.7 million units shipped in 3Q15, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). Despite early signs of a slight improvement, shipments were actually down -12.6 percent year-over-year. IDC estimated the global installed base of tablets to stand at 581.9 million at the end of 2014, which was up 36 percent from 2013. With mature markets like North America, Western Europe, and Asia-Pacific well past 100 million active tablets per region, the opportunities for new growth are fewer. "We continue to get feedback that tablet users are holding onto devices upwards of four years," said Ryan Reith, program director at IDC . IDC believes the traditional media tablet still has a place in personal computing. However, as the smartphone installed base continues to grow and as phablets become more capable, the need for smaller form-factor slate tablets is le...

Personal computing device requirements are shifting across the globe, creating challenges for consumer electronics vendors who must respond to these evolving trends. Cloud computing adoption has contributed to the shift in demand, with pervasive mobile internet access being the enabler. The worldwide installed base of media tablets will become the next casualty of global market saturation, as shipments of the expensive larger slate devices continue their ongoing decline. Early media tablet sales in 2010 and 2011 enjoyed several good years of consumer usage with both Apple iOS and Google Android devices actively used for three to four years. New market intelligence data from ABI Research predicts the installed base of tablets will decrease for the first time in 2016 -- as growth from first-time buyers shifts to limited replacement purchases. "The global installed base of branded tablets will peak around 373 million units at the close of 2015," said Jeff Orr, Research D...

Around the globe, demand for access to the mobile internet has positively remained consistent throughout last year. Following a typical year-to-year upward trajectory, the global smartphone and phablet market began 2015 with a boost, compared to the same quarter in 2014. Vendors shipped a total of 336.5 million smartphones worldwide in the first quarter of 2015 (1Q15), that's up by 16.7 percent from the 288.5 million units in 1Q14. In the overall mobile phone market (smartphones plus feature phones), vendors shipped 458.9 million units worldwide, down a mere -0.1% from the 459.3 million units shipped in 1Q14, according to the worldwide market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). "The challenge made by Apple for the top spot in the fourth quarter returned to a clear lead for Samsung in the first quarter -- despite the soaring global demand for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus," said Anthony Scarsella, research manager at IDC . Apple's strong follow-up quarter ...

The phablet is a relatively new type of mobile consumer electronic device, which emerged as the smartphone grew ever larger and began to shift focus away from communications and towards more mobile multimedia applications. In terms of the device hardware, phablets are virtually identical to smartphones, with only the bigger screen and battery to differentiate many models. Moreover, the market for these devices is evolving beyond the initial consumer focus, with the ongoing exploration of more enterprise mobility use-cases. According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research, over 400 million phablets will ship in 2019 -- that's a five-fold increase over the 138 million devices estimated to be shipped in 2015. While the Apple iPhone 6 Plus has brought the phablet category further into the limelight, it is more affordable Google Android devices that will drive phablets into the global mainstream. The Juniper study has found that with steady increases in sm...

Worldwide personal computer (PC) shipments are expected to fall by -2.7 percent overall in 2014 -- that's actually an improvement from the previous forecast of -3.7 percent, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). Although third quarter results were a few points ahead of forecast with shipments down only -0.5 percent from the prior year, most regions and market participants saw this as a short-term gain rather than as a sign of stronger growth in the long-term. Mature regions continue to grow while a rebound in emerging regions has taken longer -- due to a later impact from media tablets as well as slower economics and commercial replacements. Western Europe and Japan performed better than expected in the third quarter, but the gains were driven by a rebound from last year and short-term factors such as building fourth quarter inventory earlier in the year and continuing Windows XP replacement activity. Despite the relative short-term s...

Phablets are smartphones with screen sizes from 5.5 to less than 7 inches in diameter. According to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC), phablet shipments will reach 175 million units worldwide in 2014, passing the 170 million portable PCs expected to ship during the same period. Next year, total phablet shipment volumes will top 318 million units -- surpassing the 233 million tablets forecast to ship in 2015. While phablets are a relatively new category of device, first picking up volume in 2012, the pressure that the category has placed on the media tablet market has already been clearly observed as the growth of smaller, 7 inch tablets has begun to slow. IDC expects more consumers to shift back toward larger-sized tablets with their next purchase. However, that trend hasn't made up for the decreased shipments of smaller sizes, which has resulted in lower overall expectations for the tablet market in 2014 and beyond. IDC predicts that phablet...

What happens when the global market for media tablets shows signs of saturation in key regions? The analyst focus should shift toward the progressive software applications for these mobile devices. Meanwhile, industry analysts will continue to address the apparent market volatility, by adjusting their shipment forecasts. Based on a greater decline in demand than predicted in the first quarter -- and real concerns that vendors will face additional market challenges the rest of the year -- International Data Corporation (IDC) has lowered its 2014 worldwide tablet plus 2-in-1 forecast to 245.4 million units. That's down from the previous forecast of 260.9 million units. The new forecast represents a 12.1 percent year-over-year growth rate, which is notably lower than the 51.8 percent year-over-year growth of 2013. "Two major issues are causing the tablet market to slow down. First, consumers are keeping their tablets, especially higher-cost models from major vendors (like A...

According to the latest market study by Juniper Research , recent findings reveal that vendors of Tablet Hybrid devices will ship nearly 50 million units by 2018, rising from an estimated 9.5 million in 2013. Tablet hybrids, also known as 2-in-1 devices, are designed to achieve additional or improved tablet functionality through the use of accessories, or can be in the form of an Ultrabook that can have the screen removed to perform as a slate. As hybrid devices are relatively young, there is a distinct lack of industry standardization for what it actually constitutes -- when a media tablet or notebook PC becomes a hybrid. Also, due to the lack of demand for these devices, the shipment figures released by vendors do not granulate to the required level. As mentioned recently on Digital Lifescapes, Microsoft and Intel are likely to invest a significant amount of their 2014 marketing budget to motivate their channel partners to introduce and promote these high-cost devices in the m...

The phablet is a relatively new type of mobile device, which emerged as smartphone screens grew larger and user needs began to shift its focus away from basic voice and data communication -- towards mobile multimedia applications (apps). New findings from the latest market study by Juniper Research reveal that the phablet -- once perceived to have limited upside potential -- will ship over 120 million units by 2018, rising from an estimated 20 million in 2013. The device will find particularly receptive markets in East Asian territories such as South Korea -- with gamers who desire a larger surface to play on, and China -- where content streamers will benefit from a higher quality screen. Phablet Global Market Development The new study findings by Juniper now forecasts that the phablet market could become a growth area for established smartphone vendors -- allowing them to build flagship phablet models targeting the tech heavy user demographics. As evidenced by the rece...

There are numerous applications for flexible display technology. That being said, smart watches will likely provide the biggest opportunity for flexible displays in the short term. A number of new smart watch vendors have incorporated some form of flexible display technology to maximize the screen size of the small device. ABI Research believes most of the digital smart watches -- and other fitness and health wearable devices -- will incorporate a flexible display over the next eighteen months due to the robust and rugged characteristics of the displays. Furthermore, flexible displays or e-ink displays could be used as secondary displays on smartphones and media tablets. Phablets are predicted to be a key application for secondary displays -- it is anticipated more than 6 percent of annual phablet shipments could include the display type in 2015. "Samsung's YOUM technology (flexible display) has been highly publicized and it is clearly understandable why people can s...

The global shipments of phablets are set to more than double this year, according to the latest market study by IHS iSuppli. The "phablet" -- meaning a combination of phone and tablet features into one device -- is essentially a smartphone with a very large display. Shipments of phablets in 2013 are forecast to reach 60.4 million units -- that's up a notable 136 percent from 25.6 million last year. "The move to offer larger-display smartphones reflects the efforts of both device and panel makers to differentiate their products," said Vinita Jakhanwal, director of small and medium displays at IHS iSuppli . With consumers demanding more lifelike viewing experiences, the trend to offer hybrid devices makes perfect sense. Especially considering the increase in digital multimedia content that's now being made available on smartphones. Expansion in capacity related to low-temperature polysilicon liquid crystal display (LTPS LCD), as well as the resulting r...

The phablet is a hybrid mobile device that's larger than a typical smartphone, but smaller than a media tablet -- an example is the Samsung Galaxy Note. This is exactly the type of new mobile device that would appeal to me -- primarily for video communication applications. In fact, I would welcome the opportunity to review one of the new phablet models. That being said, I've previously been unsuccessful in convincing my mobile phone service provider to loan me a review unit for a detailed application-centric assessment. More than 208 million phablets will be shipped globally in 2015. Despite the slow start for phablet smartphones in 2011, we're now witnessing the dawn of the phablet era. HTC, LG, and Huawei will each introduce phablet smartphones in 2012, joining the ranks of Samsung’s Galaxy Note and Nexus. Additionally, another phablet smartphone was released earlier this month, the Samsung Galaxy S3. "One of the chief drivers for phablets is the amount of t...