Gartner reports 2014 tablet sales growth is slowing down to 229 million units with 11% growth, a far cry over 2013 growth of 55%, as customers prefer to either buy alternative devices or simply stick with their current tablets.
As a result tablets make just 9.5% of 2014 global device (combined PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones) sales, which the analyst estimates will reach 2.4 billion units with 3.2% growth.
"The device market continues to evolve, with the relationship between traditional PCs, different form factor ultramobiles (clamshells, hybrids and tablets) and mobile phones becoming increasingly complex," Gartner says.
The tablet segment's downward trend stems from the slowdown in basic ultramobiles-- new iPad and Android tablet sales-- and the lifetime extension of current tablets to 3 years by 2018. Thus Gartner projects 90m fewer new tablet sales and 155m fewer replacements through 2018, while some customers will replace their current tablets with hybrid or two-in-one devices.
Meanwhile strong low-end smartphone sales drive 2014 mobile phone growth, with basic smartphone (including midrange Androids) sales growth expected to reach 52%, while utility smartphones (including low-end Chinese white box devices) should double.
The expansion of affordable mobile phones is a main factor increasing the global market share of smartphones, which is set to reach 71% in 2014, up from 54% over 2013. The market will remain further entrenched between Android dominating the lower end of the market and iOS the high-end, with little space for alternative operating systems to be little more than niche players.
Go Gartner Says Tablet Sales Will Represent Less Than 10% of All Devices in 2014
