‘Detachable’ 2-in-1 Tablets ‘Bright Spot’ in Sluggish Tablet Market, Strategy Analytics Says

“Detachable” tablets sold in 2-in-1 convertible laptops have become “a bright spot” in an overall tablet market that's expected to decline by 4 percent in sales this year, Strategy Analytics said Wednesday in a report. PC vendors such as Acer, Asus and Hewlett-Packard “have found a niche in which they can credibly compete against mobile device heavyweights, as the segment is forecast to grow 91 percent over the next five years due to lower prices and better designs,” the research firm said. It estimates 2-in-1 tablets will show a 57 percent compound annual growth rate through 2019. The timing “could not be better” for 2-in-1 tablets, “as Windows 10 makes the multi-mode computing experience smoother,” Intel’s Skylake processors reach the market by year-end, and Windows tablets “have become more cost-competitive” with Android tablets, said Peter King, Strategy Analytics service director for tablets and touch screens. PC vendors have “refined” 2-in-1 tablets in the past year “to be affordable and functional,” said Senior Analyst Eric Smith. There’s “plenty of headroom for the segment to grow in the next five years,” as white box vendors “seek to differentiate their low-cost products,” Smith said.