Smart connected device (SCD) market, comprising of PCs, tablets, and smartphones, is expected to rise 5.1% in 2014 driven by the expected double digit growth of tablet shipment, according to a report from the International Data Corporation (IDC).
According to the analysts, the SCD market experienced 9.7% growth in 2013 to about 230 million units for the year and 70 million units for the fourth quarter.
The agency expects the tablets, including 2-in-1, to drive the SCD market in 2014, as its shipments are expected to grow 17.6% globally.
IDC EMEA Personal Computing research manager Chrystelle Labesque said the accelerated adoption of tablets is having a significant impact on the way consumers and businesses use and consider their computing devices.
"The frontiers between private and professional are blurring and new form factors are supporting increasing versatility, opening new usage scenarios and new growth opportunities for the industry," Labesque added.
The report revealed that the PC market observed a 2.4% drop for the fourth quarter in 2013, affected by the form factor transition and budget shift, while the commercial segment has gone 3.5% up.
During the quarter smartphones occupied 55% of the total smart connected device market with over 38 million units, representing a 1.1% rise for the period and 10.4% increase for the year.
Apple led the tablet market for 2014 with delivery of about 15 million units shipped in Western Europe in 2013, followed by Samsung with sale of 10.2 million units.
Asus secured third position with launch of the Nexus devices, while Lenovo was at fifth position in the final quarter of 2013.
In the PC segment, HP led the market in Europe, followed by Lenovo, Acer, Dell, and Apple in the top 5 positions for the year.
Western European smartphone market was led by Samsung, while apple remained second followed by Sony, while the three companies contributed to about 70% of the market in 2013.
