Overall Tablet Market Expected To Fall More Than 8%, Detachables On The Rise

Tablet shipments worldwide are expected to drop more than 8% in 2015 to 211.3 million units, according to industry tracker International Data Corporation (IDC). The 2015 forecast comes after three consecutive quarters of declining worldwide shipments, and represents a slight worsening from its previous forecast of 212 million units, made in August. In one bright spot, IDC expects the detachable tablets segment will continue to represent a growing portion of the total shipments, according to a news release. With the transition to detachable tablets, senior research analyst Jitesh Ubrani expects Microsoft Corp. Windows-based devices--slates and detachables--will more than double its market share by 2019. The detachables segment is likely to nearly double in size in the next year, with more than 75% growth compared with 2015, IDC tablet research director Jean Philippe Bouchard said. "We're witnessing a real market transition as end users shift their demand towards detachables and more broadly towards a productivity-based value proposition," Bouchard said in a statement. "With attractive price points, including the introduction of sub-$100 detachables, and platform innovation being driven by competition IDC is confident that the detachables segment will nearly double in size in the next year."