Tablets Lead Global Growth of all "Smart and Connected Devices"

It would clearly be rational to argue that the smart phone is going to be the most ubiquitous device used to access the Internet, in most emerging markets. But  tablet importance is going to grow, especially if smart phone communications are grafted onto a greater number of tablet models.

Smart connected device volume in emerging markets grew by 41.3 percent in 2012 with the tablet volume growing by 111.3 percent and smart phone volume by 69.7 percent year over- year.

In mature markets, shipments of smart connected devices grew by 15.6 percent, with a “huge plunge in the PC market,” says IDC.  

By the end of year 2017, IDC predicts that the tablet and smart phone markets will have huge growth in the emerging markets.

In emerging markets, tablet unit shipments are expected to increase by 300 percent, while smart phone unit shipments are expected to double.

Portable PCs, on the other hand will show a moderate single-digit growth while desktop PCs are expected to consistently decline year over year with almost no growth in 2017.

"In emerging markets, consumer spending typically starts with mobile phones and, in many cases, moves to tablets before PCs," says Megha Saini, IDC research analyst.

Tablet shipments grew 78.4 percent year-over-year growth in 2012, representing 128 million devices, and driving global shipments of “smart connected devices,” according to International Data Corp.

IDC expects that tablet shipments will surpass desktop PCs in 2013 and exceed portable PC sales in 2014.

That could make the tablet the crucial computing device for fixed broadband services and ISPs selling fixed broadband services.

Smart Connected Device Year-over-Year Growth by Region and Product Category, 2012-2017

Region	Product Category	2012	2013*	2017*
Mature Market	Desktop PC	-4.8%	-5.5%	-2.9%
Mature Market	Portable PC	-8.1%	-3.1%	-1.4%
Mature Market	Tablet	62.8%	41.4%	8.3%
Mature Market	Smartphone	20.6%	15.1%	4.6%
Total Market		15.6%	13.8%	4.2%
Emerging Markets	Desktop PC	-3.8%	-3.5%	0%
Emerging Markets	Portable PC	-0.8%	4.1%	7.1%
Emerging Markets	Tablet	111.3%	60.7%	13.4%
Emerging Markets	Smartphone	69.7%	35.1%	12.2%
Total Market		41.3%	26.6%	10.9%
Worldwide	Desktop PC	-4.1%	-4.3%	-1.0%
Worldwide	Portable PC	-3.4%	0.9%	3.7%
Worldwide	Tablet	78.4%	48.7%	10.6%
Worldwide	Smartphone	46.1%	27.2%	9.8%
Total Market		29.1%	21.2%	8.5%

Source: IDC

* Forecast estimates.

Smart Connected Device Market by Product Category, Shipments, Market Share, 2012-1016 (units in millions)

Product Category	2012 Unit Shipments	2012 Market Share	2017 Unit Shipments*	2017 Market Share*	2012—2017 Growth*
Desktop PC	148.4	12.4%	141.0	6.0%	-5.0%
Portable PC	202.0	16.8%	240.9	11.0%	19.3%
Tablet	128.3	10.7%	352.3	16%	174.5%
Smartphone	722.4	60.1%	1,516	67%	109.9%
Total	1,201.1	100.0%	2,250.3	100.0%	87.3%

Source: IDC

* Forecast estimates.