According to IDC, Windows tablet market share to grow into 2019 to 15pc

According to a study by IDC, tablet market is set to grow by 2.1% in the year 2015 but the biggest surprise though is that for the next five years, Windows tablets will eat into Android and iPad market share. IDC is expecting Microsoft and its partners to grab nearly 15% of market share by the year 2019 and we think that it could very well go further as Windows 10 looks promising. Decline of marketshare for Apple’s iPad lineup will continue into 2019 and will not even have a quarter of market share.

In the year 2015, tablet shipments are expected to hit 234.5 million units and by 2019, this will grow to 269.4 million units. Android will continue to be the clear market leader but its market share will fall to 62.9% by 2019. Clearly, for the next five years, this will be a three horse race and beyond that, we can expect Microsoft to take the baton from Apple for #2 spot, unless Apple wields some magic and creates an unbeatable iPad. There is a chance for Android to crush the competition as we now see more and more Chinese and Asian brands entering tablet markets. This can create an effect similar to how it is for Android now. Potential buyers will start looking for most VFM money and it will hard to beat VFM provided by Chinese tablet makers. Those who want more from their tablet may go Microsoft’s way as many PC OEMs are now making some really really good 2-in-1 multi form factor devices that can be used as tablet or as a laptop.

“Despite the growing popularity of phablets, there still remains a portion of the market that wants to use a larger device so they can tailor their experience to the appropriate screen size,” said Jitesh Ubrani, Senior Research Analyst, Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker. “Meanwhile, an increasing number of vendors behind small tablets are reducing prices and adopting features like voice calling to entice consumers to purchase their products over competing phablets, making the dynamics of phablets vs voice-capable tablets an interesting one to watch.”

“Microsoft is doing a lot of good things right now and we believe the launch of Windows 10 later this year will not only have a significant impact on Microsoft’s share of the market, but on the industry as a whole,” said Jean Philippe Bouchard, Research Director, Tablets. “There is an appetite for a platform that can provide a productivity experience that remains consistent across multiple form factors and device types, and we believe Microsoft is well positioned to capture some of that demand.”

Worldwide Tablet plus 2-in-1 Shipments, Market Share, Year-Over-Year Growth by Operating System, 2014 – 2018 (Shipments in millions)

Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, March 12, 2015

* Forecast figures.

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