The sale of tablets, led by Apple’s iPad, have grown at an unprecedented rate and are predicted to beat out notebook PC sales this year. The tablet market is expected to reach shipments of 240 million units this year, more than half of the estimated 207 million notebooks to be shipped.
NPD DisplaySearch had previously predicted that the tablet market would surpass notebooks shipments in the year 2016. That prediction is expected to come true four years sooner than expected. While Apple has dominated the tablet market with the iPad and now the iPad mini, it’s also being predicted that competition for the Apple tablets will begin to rise this year, increasing the overall sale of tablets. Apple’s 9.7-inch iPad has led tablet market sales, but in 2013 “a new class of small tablets will take over the market. Tablet PCs with 7-8″ screen sizes are expected to account for 45%, or 108 million units of the market in 2013, overtaking the 9.7″ size which will account for 17% share or about 41 million units.”
The largest market to date is expected to remain North America, with 35 percent of tablet shipments and 85 million units in total. China, however, is closing in, with a predicted 65 million units and 27 percent share. Tablet sales in both North America and China have surpassed notebook PC sales in 2012. Notebook PC shipments have continued to slow while the tablet market continues to grow.
Image Credit: PC Advisor
