Tablet shipments is forecast to outpace e-reader shipments by 2012 as tablets offer consumer with multimedia functionality, like web browsing, video and gaming, in addition to reading experience, according to market intelligence research firm In-Stat report.
Tablets, like the Apple iPad, are optimised for multifunction experience, and therefore, represent a stronger opportunity for suppliers and manufacturers alike, said the report ‘Tablet and E-Reader Market Analysis: E-Readers Make Way for Tablets as Worldwide Shipments Off’.
In-Stat senior analyst Stephanie Ethier said in fact e-reader manufacturers will soon begin adding tablet-like devices to their lineups in order to take advantage of the tablet frenzy.
"Barnes & Noble already offers the Color Nook, which is often compared to a tablet, and Amazon, the leader in the e-reader space with its Kindle, will likely launch a tablet device later this year in an effort to compete head-to-head with the iPad," Ethier said.
Thirty-eight per cent respondents out of the 1000 surveyed in the In-Stat’s end user survey stated that they own a tablet, whereas 26% own an e-reader.
The survey also stated that global e-reader shipments will reach 40 million by 2015 due to low prices and continued expansion of e-book content.
The total semiconductor opportunity for tablet suppliers and e-reader suppliers will reach $13.8bn and $1.6b, respectively, in 2015, the In-Stat report said.
Over 60% of future tablet purchasers plan to buy a tablet equipped with both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, while 15% of all tablet shipments will go into business markets by 2015.
