Tablets to outsell PCs for the first time this year

The continuing surge in sales means that tablets will then go on to outsell laptop computers next year, according to research by theInternational Data Corporation (IDC).

In 2012, worldwide shipment of all internet connected devices grew 29.1 per cent, with over 1 billion units sold in 2012.

This increase was largely driven by a 78.4 per cent year-on-year growth in sales of tablets, which sold 128 million units in 2012.

The number of tablets sold this year is expected to increase by almost 50 per cent, to over 190 million units.

The smartphone market is expected to grow 27 per cent this year to over 900 million units sold.

The growth in the tablet market - established three years ago whenApple co-founder Steve Jobs introduced the first iPad - is forecast to continue strongly.

By 2017, IDC predicts that over 350 million tablets will be sold per year, closing the gap on the 1.5 billion smartphones it estimates will be sold that year.

Sales of desktop PCs are in a gentle decline worldwide, while laptop sales are roughly stable worldwide - increasing slightly in emerging markets and declining slightly in established markets.

Apple continues to sell the greatest number of tablets, although its stranglehold on the market it pioneered is loosening.

The market share of its iPad fell to 43.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2012 from 51.7 per cent the previous year, according to IDC’s figures.

Samsung is the number two tablet seller, with its flagship Galaxy brand capturing 15.1 per cent of the market, more than double its 7.3 per cent share a year earlier.

In the same period, Microsoft sold around 900,000 Surface tablets.

In terms of market share of all internet connected devices, Samsung is the market leader, although Apple significantly closed the gap in the last quarter of 2012.

The combination of Apple's iPhone 5 and iPad Mini brought Apple up to a 20.3 share in terms of units shipped, compared with 21.2 per cent for Samsung.

However, on a revenue basis for that quarter, Apple continued to dominate with, 30.7 per cent share versus 20.4 per cent share for Samsung.

“Consumers and business buyers are now starting to see smartphones, tablets, and PCs as a single continuum of connected devices separated primarily by screen size,” IDC’s Bob O’Donnell said.

“Each of these devices is primarily used for data applications and different individuals choose different sets of screen sizes in order to fit their unique needs. These kinds of developments are creating exciting new opportunities that will continue to drive the smart connected devices market forward in a positive way.”