Worldwide tablet sales drop 35.7% after the holidays

A Guy · May 3, 2014

The latest market research is clear on what's happening in the tablet market and there is some cause for alarm:

Worldwide tablet plus 2-in-1 shipments slipped to 50.4 million units in the first calendar quarter of 2014 (1Q14) according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker. The total represents a sequential decline of -35.7% from the high-volume holiday quarter and just 3.9% growth over the same period a year ago. The slowdown was felt across operating systems and screen sizes and likely points to an even more challenging year ahead for the category.

Source

A Guy

jimbo45 · May 3, 2014

Hi there

DOESN'T ANYBODY understand anything about business.

Once you have a Mature / Saturated market your sales ALWAYS go down (unless the product is so shoddily made that it only lasts 5 mins in the first place) -- added to which the "Novelty" factor also wears off so the "Fanbois" don't have any crowing to do as the devices aren't that special any more.

I'm totally amazed by people saying Look at this market it's growing by 30 / 40 / even 50% a year and then expect it to continue at that rate for ever.

In any case with decent (and cheaper) smart phones some people are already discovering a tablet - especially the smaller 7 inch models don't bring much extra to the table that they don't otherwise have already with their smart phone and are also finding out the real limitations of these devices when they try to use them as total computer replacements.

Any sensible business could predict this type of stuff happening and gear production and markets accordingly.

Cheers
jimbo

Lady Fitzgerald · May 3, 2014

This part of the article was a joke:

Tablet makers have also done a relatively poor job of getting their products into the hands of businesses where there are clear advantages to these devices over traditional desktops and computing terminals. There is still a great deal of opportunity to create service and applications that highlight the value of tablets as workplace tools over and above traditional PCs, for example.

What kind of office does the author work in? What are these so-called "clear" advantages? I'd like to see him produce a large spreadsheet on a tablet faster, more easily, and more time and cost effectively than on a PC. Or a day trader depend on the single tiny screen of a tablet to replace her/his present multi-screen monitors. What about CAD? Or 3-D CAD? Video editing? I'm not saying that tablets wouldn't have a place in the office but there is no way they can replace full keyboards and large monitors. No touch system can match the precision on a mouse.

Layback Bear · May 3, 2014

You are correct jimbo. The new in things for the new poke and pray crowed has got old quick.
Their will be something new come out and they will buy it to be included in the new in crowed again.
Then we will hear the stories again how the PC and Laptop will disappear shortly.
Their will always be something new to sell to access the internet.
By the way; be able to access the internet is the new standard for being a computer GURU for the Poke and Pray in group.

jimbo45 · May 3, 2014

Hi there

Tablets in businesses -- that's also a comment not worthy of using up the precious Oxygen it needs to mouth those 3 words.

Presentations - yes -- I agree going to a meeting and attaching a projector to a tablet is a lot more convenient than taking a laptop with all its paraphanalia (Mouse, power supply etc) - but for GIVING a presentation - not for CREATING one.

For CREATING anything a tablet doesn't even make it to the starting blocks - especially if you are making an AV presentation with lots of video or a complex spread sheet, or a decent Powerpoint presentation with lots of complex figures, graphs, texts etc etc.

But We've been done this route before so it's a bit of "Groundhog Day".

Cheers
jimbo

margrave · May 3, 2014

Tablets have a clear place in some businesses. My mover came out for an estimate. All of the traditional paperwork, with estimate sheets, item tallies, etc. ... were done on a tablet. Tablets are ideal for all sorts of field work.

But that's the point. They're great for field work. In the office, they won't substitute for a proper desktop workstation.

bawldiggle · May 4, 2014

Lady Fitzgerald said:
What kind of office does the author work in? What are these so-called "clear" advantages? I'd like to see him produce a large spreadsheet on a tablet faster, more easily, and more time and cost effectively than on a PC. Or a day trader depend on the single tiny screen of a tablet to replace her/his present multi-screen monitors. What about CAD? Or 3-D CAD? Video editing? I'm not saying that tablets wouldn't have a place in the office but there is no way they can replace full keyboards and large monitors. No touch system can match the precision of a mouse.

My 3 AutoCad rigs have 2 small 23inch monitors each.
We have tried single larger ... but the troops complained, they preferred (as I do) dual monitors, max at 23inch.

How is a tablet or even laptop going to accommodate AutoCad.
And poke screens and mouse pads with AutoCad ... ???
Some of my Excel VBA addins have 10+ worksheets of tables, try that on a tablet, even a laptop is not enough real estate.

jimbo45 · May 6, 2014

GrayGhost2 said:
Lady Fitzgerald said:

What kind of office does the author work in? What are these so-called "clear" advantages? I'd like to see him produce a large spreadsheet on a tablet faster, more easily, and more time and cost effectively than on a PC. Or a day trader depend on the single tiny screen of a tablet to replace her/his present multi-screen monitors. What about CAD? Or 3-D CAD? Video editing? I'm not saying that tablets wouldn't have a place in the office but there is no way they can replace full keyboards and large monitors. No touch system can match the precision of a mouse.

Click to expand...

My 3 AutoCad rigs have 2 small 23inch monitors each.
We have tried single larger ... but the troops complained, they preferred (as I do) dual monitors, max at 23inch.

How is a tablet or even laptop going to accommodate AutoCad.
And poke screens and mouse pads with AutoCad ... ???
Some of my Excel VBA addins have 10+ worksheets of tables, try that on a tablet, even a laptop is not enough real estate.

Hi there

@GreyGhost

Funnily enough while I like a HUGE (50 inch or so) monitor for some things other applications are much better served by two or 3 smaller monitors like your autocad -- or if you do say "Day trading" - where you want say level 1 real time data from the markets etc.

Tablets aren't even in the imagination when it comes to this sort of stuff -- for movies / small video presentations to an external projector, simple email etc - perhaps - but you can do all that with SCREEN MIRRORING on most smart phones to full 1080p output.

Cheers
jimbo

chev65 · May 6, 2014

Lady Fitzgerald said:
This part of the article was a joke:

Tablet makers have also done a relatively poor job of getting their products into the hands of businesses where there are clear advantages to these devices over traditional desktops and computing terminals. There is still a great deal of opportunity to create service and applications that highlight the value of tablets as workplace tools over and above traditional PCs, for example.

What kind of office does the author work in? What are these so-called "clear" advantages? I'd like to see him produce a large spreadsheet on a tablet faster, more easily, and more time and cost effectively than on a PC. Or a day trader depend on the single tiny screen of a tablet to replace her/his present multi-screen monitors. What about CAD? Or 3-D CAD? Video editing? I'm not saying that tablets wouldn't have a place in the office but there is no way they can replace full keyboards and large monitors. No touch system can match the precision on a mouse.

That paragraph sounds like something that Ballmer said right before he was fired for being such an arrogant self righteous butt head.

In case anybody is wondering Ballmer is the one responsible for ignoring the pleas of Billions of users complaining that they hated certain aspects of this Op system well before it was released and he blatantly ignored those complaints out of sheer arrogance and because he actually thought that tablets were going to replace desktops forever. Won't ever happen, not ever and anyone with half a brain could have figured this out. :sarc:

Lady Fitzgerald · May 6, 2014

I wouldn't go so far as to say tablets will never, not ever replace tablets but I'll probably be dead by the time it happens, if it happens.

Boozad · May 6, 2014

Lady Fitzgerald said:
I wouldn't go so far as to say tablets will never, not ever replace tablets

:sarc:

Wrend · May 6, 2014

I would go so far as to say that it is more than likely that tablets will never entirely replace more traditional type computers/PCs. My main home PC, for example, is a game server, file server, home entertainment system, workstation, it crunches for scientific research, and is a mainframe of sorts for which my tablet and phone are optional wireless terminals of.

I think it's more likely that tablets and smart phones will replace game consoles though. My Nexus 5 has comparable graphics at higher resolutions and refresh rates than a PS3, for example, and can be controlled by a wireless game controller and output Full HD video and audio to my TV through slimport or wirelessly with miracast.

lehnerus2000 · May 6, 2014

Post-Tablet Era

Post-Tablet era?

This is good news for desktop users. :party:

Now maybe we'll stop having these horrible phone/tablet GUIs "shoved down our throats".

Another thing I heard yesterday, PC games are earning a lot more money than console games (apparently due to optional extras for MMORPGs).

Lets hope the good news keeps coming.

Layback Bear · May 6, 2014

Just because something new come out doesn't mean that something older has to go away.
The market will decide on that.
Their will always be something new for the NOW crowd.
New toys for the next Christmas sale. Then the next Christmas something new again.
Folks are finding out they really never wanted a cell phone to do all the things that cell phone can do.

Jacee · May 6, 2014

Boozad said:
Lady Fitzgerald said:

I wouldn't go so far as to say tablets will never, not ever replace tablets

Click to expand...

:sarc:

I think that was a post error...

andrew129260 · May 7, 2014

Wrend said:
I think it's more likely that tablets and smart phones will replace game consoles though. My Nexus 5 has comparable graphics at higher resolutions and refresh rates than a PS3

What the heck kind of games are you playing?

If they are indie games, then yes no shocker there. If they are mindless puzzle games, then again no surprise. But there is no way a uncharted or tomb raider will end up on your phone like that and look anywhere close to the ps3.

bawldiggle · May 7, 2014

andrew129260 said:
What the heck kind of games are you playing?

If they are indie games, then yes no shocker there. If they are mindless puzzle games, then again no surprise. But there is no way a uncharted or tomb raider will end up on your phone like that and look anywhere close to the ps3.

When it comes to gaming I have the attention span of a goldfish.
Even my 6 year old grandson thrashes me. I let him win (yehhh! ... right!)
And my 10 years grandson has already put his order in for a rig .. he is getting quite good at rudimentary AutoCad ... at 10?!
He is bored with the iPad, now that he has discovered what can be done with big guns.

My most recent work rig was built by a gaming shop ... it has been brilliant for AutoCad.
It was my first foray into multiple internal drives ... can't do that with a laptop, tablet nor a phone.

Created on a Toshiba laptop 15½inch screen, only any good for surfing and email.

Boozad · May 7, 2014

Jacee said:
Boozad said:

Lady Fitzgerald said:

I wouldn't go so far as to say tablets will never, not ever replace tablets

Click to expand...

:sarc:

Click to expand...

I think that was a post error...

Yeah I just couldn't think of anything witty to type at the time.

jimbo45 · May 7, 2014

Layback Bear said:
Just because something new come out doesn't mean that something older has to go away.
The market will decide on that.
Their will always be something new for the NOW crowd.
New toys for the next Christmas sale. Then the next Christmas something new again.
Folks are finding out they really never wanted a cell phone to do all the things that cell phone can do.

Hi there.

As far as phones go I resisted the initial models : "Poser Fones" we used to call them - especially those people who seemed to be "Tethered" to them all day long and used to walk the streets speaking apparently to thin air -=- 20th Century Slavery !!!
Even to this day I simply LOATHE texting and have only ever done about 2 in my life and made more errors than words.

However the latest DECENT set of smart phones are really useful and I can't imagine being without them -- especially if you travel a lot -- maps, bus train times, hotel bookings, sat nav etc etc - and buying things - mobile m-tickets and m-purchases are really convenient - do it carefully though - like all things Internet be SAFE -- remember the public Wi-Fi you think is public might be set up by someone with a laptop computer creating a Wi-Fi access point which to you looks like a decent public Wi-Fi service and trapping YOUR bank details !!! These hacks and scams DO occur so take care when using public Wi-Fi to ensure that it is an "Official" one.

With technology -- take what YOU think is useful and just ignore the rest.

Cheers
jimbo

Lady Fitzgerald · May 7, 2014

Jacee said:
Boozad said:

Lady Fitzgerald said:

I wouldn't go so far as to say tablets will never, not ever replace tablets

Click to expand...

:sarc:

Click to expand...

I think that was a post error...

True, the second tablets should have been PCs. I had to stare at that several times before I finally "saw" it. I'm old with ADHD, mild dyslexia, etc.; cut me some slack.

Worldwide tablet sales drop 35.7% after the holidays

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