Global shipments of electronic tablets are forecast to soar in 2018, following a suite of new offerings tipped for release from Amazon, Microsoft, Huawei and Apple.
Taiwanese trade publication, DigiTimes, states that despite a sluggish tablet market in recent years – following a decline in new innovation – 2018 should bounce back, following double-digit increases driven by the release of new products from notable brands.
Microsoft is tipped to launch new Surface models in the first half of 2018, and Google is predicted to jump back into the tablet world with some new ‘educational’ focused devices.
Considering the flurry of new tablets forecast for release, industry insiders predict a heated battle among brand vendors, set to ignite renewed momentum and market growth.
Reports reveal that Amazon is set to offer tablets at “super low prices” next year, in a bid to attract more consumers to its e-commerce ecosystem.
The e-commerce giant reportedly expects shipments of its Kindle Fire tablet to notch a record high of 12 million – 13 million in 2017, whilst forecasting shipment growth of 10% next year.
Chinese-based Huawei reportedly expects its tablets’ shipments to exceed 10 million in 2017, potentially surpassing volumes from rival Lenovo for the first time.
Reports affirm that in recent times Californian-based Apple has performed well in the tablet market, following the release of competitively priced 9.7″ iPads during the second quarter of 2017 – thereby retaining its leading position in the global tablet market.
Sources state Apple plans to “intensify” the pricing strategy for next year’s iPads, set to trigger replacement demand from consumers holding onto older models.
