Tablets are Likely to Out-Sell Laptops in 2013

[dgstorm]

We could be close to a turning point for the PC industry as the inescapable onslaught of tablets continues to erode their marketshare. According to a new survey report from NPD DisplaySearch, we are likely to see tablet sales out-pace Laptop and Notebook sales this year. Here's a quote with even more detail,

With sales primarily driven by smaller, inexpensive 7" and 8" models, tablet sales are expected to reach about 240 million units, while laptops - about 207 million. That trend will continue through 2017, when there will probably a lot more tablets in this world than laptops.

As we said, tablet growth will mainly come from the smaller and more inexpensive models. However, the term "inexpensive" is not to be confused with "mediocre" here, as tablet prices have been falling rapidly during the last one or two years, thanks to intense competition from players like Google and Amazon, which are offering powerful hardware at really affordable prices. The role of the vast Chinese market is also to be taken seriously here, as NPD predicts that China will be responsible for the impressive 27% of all tablets sold in 2013.

What do you think? Is the decline of PC's and especially laptops and notebooks something permanent, or will we eventually see a resurgence?

Source: PhoneArena

 

[Redsnk95]

I have a laptop that is used for work purposes only. Other than that we do not have laptops or plan to get one. I have a Xoom tab and Razr Maxx phone, my wife has a Kindle Fire HD 7" and iPhone 4s phone. We have a desktop should we need to do something large that we cannot do on our tablets. I plan to eventually purchase an all-in-one desktop to improve clutter. However, a laptop is likely not something we would get again.

 

[Sal R.]

Still haven't found a tab that could MOSTLY replace my dell ultrabook. Even my TF101 is a mostly a glorified eReader/remote/streaming media player.

But I have to say, the latest tabs coming out even has me imagining the possibilities, as far as personal usage is concerned.

 

[dezymond]

Don't think tablets will ever completely replace laptops. In my specific case, I'm on different forums and also do alot of typing for schoolwork, a tablet could never replace a keyboard or my windows office. Sure apps such as Documents To Go are compatible with it, but it just doesn't feel the same (and files don't translate right; lines not matching up between both documents is very annoying), and if I have to carry a bluetooth keyboard around with my tablet I might as well have gotten an ultrabook.

For when I'm doing some light browsing, a tablet wins, hands down. However, if I'm around the board or doing some homework then it doesn't beat a PC/laptop.

 

[bsweetness]

Still haven't found a tab that could MOSTLY replace my dell ultrabook. Even my TF101 is a mostly a glorified eReader/remote/streaming media player.

But I have to say, the latest tabs coming out even has me imagining the possibilities, as far as personal usage is concerned.

I completely agree.

I tried using the Transformer Prime and the TF300 as a laptop replacement, but it just never completely worked. I found myself wishing that I had a legit laptop, even a netbook, to get things done.

Windows 8 has the potential to really break that though (and not Windows RT that runs on the Surface and a few other tablets, but full-blown Windows 8). I sold my TF300 in anticipation of the Surface Pro or of a Transformer device from Asus that runs the full version of Windows 8. But, I soon grew impatient, and I picked up the Ideapad Yoga 13 from Lenovo instead. It's exactly the sort of thing I want and need. A tablet for reading and consuming media, but at the same time a complete PC with a full OS instead of a tweaked phone OS. I'll be really excited to see what Windows 8 tablets/hybrids come out this year, because I'd love one that's a detachable tablet with a solid keyboard dock. And hopefully the selection of apps specifically designed for Windows 8 starts to grow soon. It really has the potential to be the perfect hybrid OS.

 

[johnomaz]

People used to buy laptops for the most basic if functions such as e-mail and web surfing/Facebook. If tablets existed back then, they would have been purchased. Tablets aren't replacing laptops so much as they are filling the gap where users need something basic for a few simple tasks and for people who need the power of a laptop.

 

[FoxKat]

Well, if our family is any indication, we just returned from our local Micro Center less than an hour ago with an ACER Iconia Tab A211, along with a Kensington KeyFolio Pro 2 Universal Removable Bluetooth Keyboard, Case & Stand.

We bought it for many reasons. First, it is Android which brings with it a plethora of apps that can be downloaded from the Play Store (and most free), as well as any number of other sites. Second, it's a touch screen so using it is highly intuitive. Third, it has Bluetooth so a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse bring to it much of the functionality of a full-blown laptop. Fourth, it is highly portable to allow taking along for car rides to watch movies or play games, and in bed to keep up with DroidForums.net ;-).

I am charging it for the full 4 hours minimum initial charge with POWER OFF, to properly saturate the battery and set the FULL CHARGE Flag.

I'll report back here whether it lives up to our expectations.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[mountainbikermark]

People used to buy laptops for the most basic if functions such as e-mail and web surfing/Facebook. If tablets existed back then, they would have been purchased. Tablets aren't replacing laptops so much as they are filling the gap where users need something basic for a few simple tasks and for people who need the power of a laptop.

And some, like me, use remote access apps to use their Windows machine from their tablet. Team Viewer, Splashtop, etc work very well from across the room or across the country

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[Xtra Big Kahuna]

I don't think tablets will replace laptops. Maybe for people who use their laptop for things like web surfing and maybe checking email and also have a desktop, but for people with only a laptop then there is no way to replace a laptop with a tablet.

Also I think that you are going to see a decrease in sales on all PCs in the next year due to the general dislike towards Windows 8, but once Microsoft creates Windows 9 and goes back to having a non-touch centered PC then the sales will pick back up. Also, with Windows 8 why would you want to carry what is essentially a more expensive, bigger, and less convenient tablet? That is why tablet sales will likely increase over the next year, not due to a tablet being better than a laptop.

 

[xeene]

laptops and desktop are going to vanish in the future. i can see people using tablets and phones with docking stations via usb/bt.

 

[PereDroid]

I haven't touched my laptop for anything except playing BF3 and Skyrim since I got my first tablet.
My wife hasn't touched her laptop since she got an iPad. I sold it to a buddy.
Once in a great while she does use the desktop computer that I built for her to use for her job for something not work related.
It has 2 24" screens, though, so no tablet is going to replace that.
Still pretty rare that she does that.
Of curse we have a 2 year old so free time is hard to come by.

 

[azdrifter]

I don't think tablets will replace laptops. Maybe for people who use their laptop for things like web surfing and maybe checking email and also have a desktop, but for people with only a laptop then there is no way to replace a laptop with a tablet.

Also I think that you are going to see a decrease in sales on all PCs in the next year due to the general dislike towards Windows 8, but once Microsoft creates Windows 9 and goes back to having a non-touch centered PC then the sales will pick back up. Also, with Windows 8 why would you want to carry what is essentially a more expensive, bigger, and less convenient tablet? That is why tablet sales will likely increase over the next year, not due to a tablet being better than a laptop.

I totally agree with this, tablets are great if you don't need to do real world work on them. I just can't see people ditching their laptops and desktop that we use for work like in my case with photo editing. My laptop barely keeps up with my CS5 and i have high end chips and graphic cards. And yes Windows 8 is a total flop i didn't like the beta so not at all interested in buying anything running W8 at all.

 

[PereDroid]

Wow you it surprised . how people think tablets are still . just toys on this forum.
No you can't run cs5. or edit video as well as on a pc. But it amazes me how much I can get done on this tablet. I have 2 bosses, and attorneys, that are very productive on the iPad and the tf300.
And with a Win Pro tab? What's a laptop again?
@note I hate win8 too.Not excited at all. But people are..

 

[azdrifter]

Wow you it surprised . how people think tablets are still . just toys on this forum.
No you can't run cs5. or edit video as well as on a pc. But it amazes me how much I can get done on this tablet. I have 2 bosses, and attorneys, that are very productive on the iPad and the tf300.
And with a Win Pro tab? What's a laptop again?
@note I hate win8 too.Not excited at all. But people are..

So you are able to watch videos,be surfing the web or be streaming Iheart or Pandora,Google music and still be able to edit and design photos on your tablet?
I really need to check out a Tablet then because I never realized you could do the same things you can on a laptop like what i do, I usually have something streaming and my email client open and several windows open while I work on CS5 I really had no idea you could do that on a Tablet as well.
But knowing that this is possible as well then I'll give one a try.

Edit; oops I didn't notice you said you Can't run CS5 ..But I still am interested in buying a new Tablet I didn't like the first one I bought the Asus Prime I might get an Ipad though?

 

[PereDroid]

Right. Tabs are NOT great photo editors. Tabs are medicore Video editors.
No you cannot watch a video AND surf the net at the same time unless you get a Smasung tab that supposedly now supports two apps sharing the screen.
But do email and stream Slacker? Easily.
Surf the net and listen to Pandora? Yes.
Remote Desktop to my server to check the logs about why email was being blocked last week? Piece of cake.
Review a document and display it to the courtroom in the middle of a trial? No problem.
Dropbox a file on my bosses laptop here in Cleveland so he can pull it up on his iPad in Switzerland? Did it last week.
Have full on access to the Microsoft Network Shared drive at the office from an Asus TF300 or an iPad tablet? Daily.
Speak to my Asus Transformer to 'type' an email with nearly 100% success? Success that I have never come close to when speaking to my Windows7 PC? Check!
There is so much today's tablet are capable of, again I have to say, it surprises me that a large portions of the enthusiast crowd that hangs out on this site thinks tabs are still just toys...