Tablet computers have reformed the supply chain in many ways. What's the outlook for demand, and how is that demand going to change the existing landscape in the coming years?
Take a look:
Infographic: Tablets’ Coming Impact
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I reckon tablets will not take over from the laptop as the user interface is still too restrictive to make the tablet a truly useful tool. My son bought an Ipad about 8 months ago and is now selling it to buy a laptop. Tablets will augment but not replace laptops/netbooks. I know many people with tablets and they all seem to be “toys” and not “tools”.
I tend to agree with you and I wonder how much of that is simply the form factor. I like my iPad but work mostly gets done on a laptop with a full keyboard and big screen. I try to enhance the tablet use case with voice recognition software like Dragon Dictation, which is an excellent app, but I'm not sure I'll throw over my old ways just yet.
Tablet can go either way: doom like netbook or shine like smartphones. About 5 years ago not many company would see smartphone as likely theat to their mobile phone business. Those who missed the ship are in a danger of going extinct. I see tablet as a worthy counterpart (not competitor right now) to PC simply because it lack the power and features of a PC but with the rise of smartclouds i could foresee a future where smaller and lighter with overtake the mighty PC with force.
” I see tablet as a worthy counterpart” That is the reason that tablet can't go away as the notebook , is the perfect substitute for a lightly use *internet use.
“I reckon tablets will not take over from the laptop as the user interface is still too restrictive to make the tablet a truly useful tool.”
@Flyingscot: I think it varies a lot from person to person in terms of how they're using the laptops. For people who just want to view information and browse the internet with very little keyboard involvement, tablets can be a good substitute for laptops. For others who have extensive typing work, the replacement cant' be there.
“Tablets are closely connected with the sale of the Smart-phones, although don't have the GSM ability the common OS system (Android) makes them relatives”
@Nemos: While tablets may offer features of smartphones, I haven't seen anyone who'd give up on a phone to buy a tablet. People may go for additional tablet if they have a phone already but I'm not sure if they would replace their phone with a tablet. This doesn't make a lot of sense.
We say the same thing with different words , I used the word “relative” and not “replacement”. As relative products we can output conclusions and forecast the sales of its category.As a consumer who has both of those products I can confirm you that if I didn't like my android phone I shouldn't purchase the android tablet as my next choice for reading books.
I agree Nemos; the point, in my opinion, is that everybody is still talking about tablet or smartphone but they are products launched a few years ago. What will be the real innovative product? Maybe, we are still waiting for…
Mfb,
I don't know if you are following Smartphone Sales Data from 2012 and comparison with 2011(from Gartner).
2012 was the first Calendar Year ever that Smartphone Sales FELL YoY.
Why did this Happen?
Either Consumers have reached Saturation Point[Everyone who wants a Smartphone already has one]-It sounds unlikely I know or Because of the Recession and Uncertainty Consumers have put off Buying Expensive Smartphones atleast till they feel their Career prospects are more secure.
Also,I see at the Bottom end ;lot of cheap Android Smartphones gaining Tremendous traction all through Asia,Africa and South America today.
Most of these consumers want High-end phones from the Likes of Nokia,Samsung and Apple but just can't afford them.
So they go for Cheaper and often Locally produced Alternatives.
This is an unmistakable trend and is escalating beyond all imagination today.
Regards
Ashish.
Brian,
Fascinating Infographic.
Here's another One I really-really like on the NERD economy!!!
http://blog.newrelic.com/2012/10/25/infographic-just-how-big-is-the-nerd-economy
Revenge of the Nerds???
You betcha!!
Regards
Ashish.
Taimoor,
I agree.
And this is the primary reason why I feel tablets(as a standalone Device) are over-rated.
For anyone who wants to Multi-task effectively(especially on the Move);Tablets are not the First Choice Device.
That position is held(even today) by Laptops with Smartphones a close Second.
I have seen a lot of Consumers of Video as well as E-Commerce and E-readers;Show a Strong Preference for Tablets that will definitely continue going ahead.
But if you want to work;its very-very tough to do that on a stand-alone Tablet today.
Regards
Ashish.
Himanshu,
You following the Internet Outages/Slowness Phenomenon especially in Europe/North Africa/Asia ;simply because someone in Egypt disconnected some Undersea cables Accidentally/Purposely?
This is the Number Reason why you will always need Basic Storage Space on your Devices and cannot be 100% dependent on the Cloud.
The Cloud is not 100% reliable even today simply because the Internet is not yet 100% reliable and robust(and probably never will be).
The inforgraphic is showing tremendous growth in the number of tablets sold in the coming years. But with numbers the prices will go down and the net revenue from this segment mat remain the same . The money will be made by the APP developers
Its amazing how fast has the tablet industry grown. To think that just a few years ago it didnt exist. I wonder if the next generation of tablets (the ones coming with a simulated dock) will make the last push towards laptop substitution. Its has been the laptop makers argument. That tablets are for data consumption, not for creation.
I believe we must innovate in the user interface to make the tablet ubiquitous. Think of a keyboard. It is easy and quick to use. You can do loads with it. It is pretty silent in operation. It is a tough act to follow.
@tech4people: good point Ashish, please could you suggest some useful links for finding out more on sales have you mentioned?
Mfb,
Hope these Two links help
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phones/9867272/Mobile-phone-sales-fall-for-the-first-time-since-2009.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-24/retailers-thanksgiving-deals-cut-black-friday-traffic.html
From both these links its quite clear;that the Market seems to be consolidating amongst the BIG TWO-Apple+Samsung(Together they hold over 53% of the Mobile Phone Market Share today).
&
Unless you believe The Global Economy has gotten Dramatically BETTER in the last Six months(actually its more likely the opposite as Europeans batten down the hatches after the EU Stole from Savers in Cyprus ,In America the Personal Savings Rate continues to fall and Fall and in Asia ;Inflation continues to Heavily erode Savings);Mobile Phone Sales will decline this Year too[Last year's fall was 1.7%;this year Gartner expects Numbers to rise by a Whopping 8% over last year's Numbers; But I am seriously wondering where the Growth is Gonna Come from???
Also from the Article-
“
Gartner said while the demand for iPhones in the fourth quarter, consumer demand favoured the less expensive iPhone 4 and 4S. It added the arrival of the iPad Mini also created a dilemma for some users when deciding if to upgrade an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S to an iPhone 5, or buy the new tablet.
“
They are hoping for the rise of a Third Mobile Ecosystem-Again I am not so sure…
One of either Firefox/Ubuntu/Tizen/Jolla can definitely rise up and Challenge Microsoft/RIM for Third Place but I have a hard time believing they will beat Android or even Apple today.
“
It also says 2013 will be the year of the third ecosystem, as carriers try to break free from the influence of Apple and Google Android while Microsoft's Windows Phone 8, BlackBerry 10 and others battle it out.
“Alternative operating systems such as Tizen, Firefox, Ubuntu and Jolla will try and carve out an opportunity by positioning themselves as profitable alternatives,” the report says.
“
Regards
Ashish.
@tech4people: many thanks, they are good links and the matter they are telling about is very interesting; personally speaking, I believe FirefoxOS and the based on smartphone, will represent one of the most important innovations within the market. Right now they have launched the product mainly in Spain, then we need to wait for its availability abroad.
Is Firefox OS targetting at tablets or smartphone or both? The name itself seems to be suggesting that it's gonna have just a browser to run all the apps from cloud. Not sure if I am correct.
Is Firefox OS targetting at tablets or smartphone or both? The name itself seems to be suggesting that it's gonna have just a browser to run all the apps from cloud. Not sure if I am correct.
mfb,
I don't know which of those many Open-Source OSes jostling for Control here will succeed.
Let's just wish them the very best today!
Which ever one it is it will have to struggle massively to overcome the Domination of Android today.
The iOS is Dying as a Mobile System as we speak.
Latest Vindication comes from CEO of France Telecom
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-03/france-telecom-ceo-says-frugal-buyers-threaten-sales-of-iphone.html
Practically Nobody in France today can afford to(and wants to Buy) a $600 Iphone today!!!
What's Apple Gonna do Now???
Atleast Samsung Innovates Constantly and Delivers Products which more people wanna Buy;What innovation has Apple delivered since Iphone 3????
Its Getting very,very interesting in the Mobile Phone Wars .
@tech4people: well, good point from you; the market is living – speaking for myself – a too much confusion era, it is not easy for endusers to look for a “radar” that could allow right decisions.
@Ashish: Recently tablet manufacturers have started promoting the use of desk stands along with external keyboards to be used with tablets. The idea is to mimic some features of Netbooks through the tablet. We can say that the future of Netbooks now looks bleak as more and more consumers would rather own a tablet than a Netbook if the price is more or less the same.
Taimoor,
True.
Netbooks as an entity may not exist in the coming future.
BUt that does'nt mean Laptops[High Performance ones especially] are Going away.
If you notice the New ones;where you can Remove the Screen(it becomes a Tablet) like on HP Envy2;That kind of stuff can work and sell well.
mfb,
Sure that can be a confusing experience-If you let the Market CONFUSE you.
I have always belived that Consumers should first frame their Needs and then figure out what Solution works best for them.
Simply yet,effective way to solve the problem at hand.
@tech4people: I believe that, the only point is about right info to collect; sometimes for instance, I've experienced gaps between what a market flyer says and features installed on a product and maybe vendors sometimes play just a little exactly this way.
mfb,
Yes that can happen.
Which is why you need to Demo-Test all the products you decide to use as well as go and read Online Reviews (typically written by Consumers only);before purchasing anything today.
@tech4people: Yes, many features of the tablet are also being made available in the laptop but I do agree tablets because of their ease of handling and light-weight will continue to exist.