Windows Devices To Double Their Share of Tablet Market by 2019, IDC Says

Global shipments of tablets, including “detachables” sold with 2-in-1 devices, are expected to decline 8 percent this year to 212 million, “with the vast majority being pure slate tablets,” IDC said Wednesday in a forecast report. “The overall trajectory of the tablet market has not changed significantly over the past year and a half,” but the 2-in-1 segment “is starting to gain traction,” said the research firm. IDC expects the 2-in-1 segment to grow 86.5 percent year over year in 2015 with 14.7 million units shipped, it said. “Although this volume is far below that of the more affordable slate tablet segment, IDC believes these devices appeal to an audience seeking an alternative to pure tablets with smaller screens,” it said. IDC sees iOS tablet device shipments declining 14.9 percent this year to 54 million units, while Android tablet shipments are expected to decline 10 percent to 139.8 million, it said. Percentage-wise, Windows tablets will be 2015's big winner, rising 59.5 percent to 17.7 million, it said. IDC also sees Windows tablets rising through at a 30.3 percent compound annual growth rate through 2019, compared with a 2.7 percent CAGR decline for Android and a 0.5 percent CAGR decline for iOS, it said. Android will finish 2015 with a 66 percent share of the global tablets market, but its share will fall to 56.6 percent in 2019, IDC said. By 2019, iOS tablets will claim a 25.9 percent market share compared with 25.5 percent in 2015, it said. However, Windows will see its 2019 share more than double to 17.5 percent from 8.4 percent in 2015, IDC said.