IDC Sees Detachables Spurring Growth in Tablet Sales Beyond 2016

IDC sees global tablet shipments declining 5.9 percent this year to 195 million units, but expects the overall market to return to positive growth in 2017, albeit by single-digit percentages, on growing demand for detachable devices, the research firm said in a Tuesday report. Detachables, which IDC defines as a “somewhat hybrid category that brings together slate tablets and PCs,” is expected to grow to 63.8 million in 2020 from 16.6 million shipments in 2015, it said. “Beyond the growing demand for detachable devices, we're also witnessing an increase in competition within this segment that will help drive design, innovation, and a decline in average prices.” The change from slate form factor to detachables will spur other changes to the tablet industry, including the expectation that Microsoft Surface-based devices “will begin taking share from the other platforms, most notably Android,” it said. “This momentous shift in form factor will bring along the first significant impact of Windows-based devices that the tablet market has seen. ... Windows 10 seems to be making headway in both the PC and tablet markets, mainly driven by devices with larger screen sizes.”