Canalys says Tablets Sales fell by 11% globally - How Strategy Analytics 91% growth by 2020 due to e-SIM, Hybrid Tablets and 5G Broadband

“Despite the sudden downturn in shipments, Tablets are certainly here to stay. Yes, they have matured and commoditized quickly, but there are still opportunities for vendors to profit from the category”

Senior Analyst at Canalys Tim Coulling, commenting on the Global fall in Tablet shipments

It’s time for me to play the part of Chicken Little and run around saying “The Sky is falling”. Only this time, it's not the sky, but Tablets.

So says the analyst Canalys; shipments for Tablets have fallen globally by 11% year on year as reported in the article “Tablet sales continue to slide – Canalys”, published 12 AUG 2015, Mobile World Live. 

From August 2, 2015

Senior Analyst at Canalys Tim Coulling says interest in Tablets had peaked way back in 2013. From then on, sales have been in a freefall along with PC sales as predicted by the stats firm analyst IDC and chronicled in my blog article entitled “IDC Stats suggest Tablet Freefall in 2015 – How to sell Tablets using built-in Keyboards and Carrier Unlocked SIM Cards”.

This is mainly due to the prevalence of Chinese “White Label” Tablets, such as the US$144 Alcatel OneTouch POP 7, which is great for children as a first tablet as explained in my blog article entitled “Why the US$144 Alcatel OneTouch POP 7 is the perfect Educational Tablet”.

So far up until July 2015, only 42.5 million units worldwide have been sold. Sales of the Apple iPad are still strong in the five (5) regions of the world, except for Brazil.

A Tablet apocalypse is coming as noted in “Tablet shipments continue to fall worldwide”, published August 12, 2015 by Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times, Physorg.

These top regions for the Apple iPad are as follows:

1.      US

2.      China

3.      UK

4.      Japan

5.      Brazil

According to Senior Analyst at Canalys Tim Coulling, Apple is leading in all but one market, Brazil, quote: “The top five countries (US, China, UK, Japan and Brazil) accounted for half the world’s tablet shipments and Apple led in all but one, Brazil. It is well placed to continue leading the market for the time being”.

If Apple dies, so do the other name brand tablets; their futures are interlinked!

So how can Apple and other branded tablet makers halt the slide?

Tablets Sales fell by 11% globally - How e-SIM and 5G Data Plans can revive branded Tablets

In my blog article entitled “IDC Stats suggest Tablet Freefall in 2015 – How to sell Tablets using built-in Keyboards and Carrier Unlocked SIM Cards”, I'd predicted that what was needed was Carrier Unlocked SIM Cards and Tablets with built-in keyboards.

Tablets are computers, not smartphones, so people are not inclined to upgrade as often as they do smartphones. Also phablets can do what Tablets and smartphones can do, making it pointless to have two separate devices. Also, despite my own reasoning, you can connect via Bluetooth to make calls without pulling out your phablet.

Carrier unlocked SIM are already in the works, with both Apple and Samsung already in talks with the GSMA (Global Systems Mobile Association) to introduce e-SIM a reported in my blog article entitled “GSMA's e-SIM Card - Why e-SIM marks World Phone Genesis and Death of unlocked-smartphones”. 

Not only are e-SIM a herald for Carrier Unlocked smartphones that can work on multiple Networks without making other versions, a handset maker's delight, but it may also give the customers freedom of choice and the Telecom Providers a little more leverage.

For Tablets, it'll mean being able to buy a Tablet and a Data Plan from any Telecom Provider and thus be able to change Network as they please, just like owning a computer.

Stay tuned to that developement as the revolution in Telecom may mean the end of Contract plans as well!!!

Google Chromebooks and 2-in-1 Detachable Tablets - Hybrid Tablets with keyboards rescue Branded Tablets

Tablets with Keyboards are basically hybrid Tablets that have almost the same computing power as a Laptop like the 10.1” Asus Transformer Book as detailed in my blog article entitled “10.1” Asus Transformer Book T100HA hybrid laptop – Chromebook killer with 15” Macbook Pro stylings”.

Typically referred to as 2-in-1 Detachable Tablets due to their tablet screen being separate from a portable keyboard, they have remained underlings as Laptop makers have been reluctant to boost the power of cheaper Tablets, fearing that it'll kill off their Laptop business.

But with BOTH Tablet and Laptop sales falling out of the sky, many Laptop makers such as Asus and Hisense have decided to expand their hybrid laptop offering, treating them like bonafide Laptops.

They're taking their cues from Google Chrome OS and Chromebooks, many of which are slimmed down Laptops with Tablet-like specs and a growing fanbase as noted in my blog article entitled “@Google launches Google Chromebit, Haier and Hisense Chromebook and @Asus Chromebook Flip - @Microsoft Productivity vs @GoogleChrome OS low Price”.

They've also decided to not only make hybrid Tablets, which specs wise are basically Chromebooks but with a detachable screen, but to also give them the computing power of Laptops!

So it’s really a Pc Apocalypse!

Strategy Analytics predicts 91% growth rate in Hybrid Tablets - PC makers taking their cues from Chromebooks

So far, it seems to be working, according to the latest statistics from Strategy Analytics, which forecasts a 91% growth rate for hybrid Tablets as predicted in the article “2-in-1 Tablet Sales Taking Off, says Strategy Analytics”, published Aug. 13, 2015, PRNewswire. 

Already HP, Acer and Asus, who've already been tapping into Google Chromebooks are not taking a serious look at hybrid Tablets. This is based on the rapid growth of the Chromebooks  among the K-12 schools in the US of A as noted in my blog article entitled “IDC Stats say Google Chromebooks dominates U.S. K-12 School System - 1 TB Free Google Drive as MicrosoftHP Stream and 12.9-inch Apple iPad in 2015”. 

Strategy Analytics is predicting some incredible projections for their growth by 2019:

1.      57% five-year CAGR (compound average growth rate) for 2-in-1 Detachable Tablets

2.      2% five-year CAGR (compound average growth rate) for Regular Tablets

Strategy Analytics is projecting a 4% decline in Tablet sales for 2015, echoing the sentiments of analyst Canalys. Already, there are some early indications that these projections might come to pass!!

Microsoft Surface is the Canary for Hybrid Tablets - How e-SIM and 5G will cause Hybrid Tablets explosion by 2020 

The success of the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Tablets is thanks to its detachable design, more laptop-like computing power and useful Microsoft Office Productivity suite of software as noted in the article “3 Reasons Why Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Is A Winner”, published 8/03/2015 by Gene Marks, Forbes.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 a strong indication of the coming growth of Hybrid Tablets and Windows 10, especially as they'll be packin' Windows 10 by October 2015 as reported in the article “Microsoft upgrades its Surface Tablets to Windows 10”, published August 4, 2015 by Lance Whitney, CNET News.

Proof that you don't need Google Android to make Tablets that people wish to purchase; you just need a Tablet that can replace your laptop!

Combined with the coming of e-SIM thanks to the GSMA and 5G Internet based on the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) IMT-2020 Roadmap as detailed in my blog article entitled “ITU publishes 5G IMT-2020 Roadmap - Why US Telecom Providers, @Digicel_Jamaica and @LIMEJamaica like to travel off the beaten Path” and the Strategy Analytics prediction of an explosion in Hybrid Tablets before 2020 is spot on!