Tablet sales to hit nearly 200 million in 2013 - Gartner

Most end users will soon be satisfied with the experience they get from their tablet as their main computing device, says analyst

Tablet shipments will reach nearly 200 million in 2013 and not far off 500 million by 2017 as more consumers settle on the touchy-feely form factor as their main computing device.

That is according to Gartner, which forecasts that total global device shipments – comprising PCs, ultramobiles, tablets and mobile phones – will grow by nine per cent this year to 2.41 billion and reach 2.96 billion by 2017.

But the mix of these devices will shift dramatically over the forecast period, Gartner said.

Sales of desk-based and notebook PCs will shrivel 7.6 per cent this year to 315 million units, falling to 271 million units in 2017.

In contrast, tablet sales will mushroom from 116 million to 197 million units in 2013, a rise of 70 per cent. Growth will slow next year, when unit sales will stand at 266 million, and by 2017 some 468 million tablets will be shifted, Gartner predicted.

This will be driven by the proliferation of lower-priced tablets and their growing capabilities, the number cruncher said.

"While there will be some individuals who retain both a personal PC and a tablet, especially those who use either or both for work and play, most will be satisfied with the experience they get from a tablet as their main computing device," said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner.

The analyst warned that the decline in the PC market is more than a temporary trend induced by the austere economic environment.

But the nascent ultramobile sector is set to more than offset the gap.

By 2017, ultramobile shipments will reach 96 million, up from just 10 million in 2012, 24 million this year and 38 million in 2014.

Mobile phone sales are set to grow modestly from 1.75 to 1.88 billion this year, with smartphones making up one billion of that number.

Buoyed by the surge in smartphone shipments, Android will continue to be the dominant operating system in the overall device market, Gartner added.

Android device shipments are set to grow to 861 million in 2013, up from 497 million last year, and will reach 1.47 billion in 2017. Windows and iOS/MacOS will tussle for second spot over the forecast period, shipping 571 million and 504 million units by 2017, respectively