Touchscreen Tablets Market Takeover!

Even as consumers take to mobile and smartphone in the next phase of online connectivity, there can be few who will argue that the launch of the iPad has ushered in the age of the tablet PC. In a blink of an eye, the deskbound PC has been left behind as ways of working on the move have gone ultra mobile, digitized or rugged!

As 2011 begun, some 30 versions of handheld computers had already begun revolutionising the way people can expect to access the web and work online. Just six months later, and with an estimated 17 million tablets sold in 2010 alone, over 100 different types of touch screen PCs are pouring through the IT marketplace.

The sales growth of touchscreen tablets are fourfold the number of smartphones sold and a staggering five times more than the traditional deskbound PC - fast becoming obsolete in today’s world of internet access and instant data on the move. If the present pace continues, some technology analysts predict that there could be annual sales reached of 200 million mobile tablets PCs by just three years time.

The key to the unprecedented speed in which handheld PCs have come on stream lies with manufacturers harnessing the proven capabilities of mobile phone technology. Thus, it was a simple matter to adapt and insert from a whole range of mobile functionality including, operating systems, application platforms, touch screens, chip sets, etc.

As a result, not only were leading global brands successfully able to reduce both the cost and time it would normally take to bring a new product to market, but many other less well known brands were equally quick to produce their tablet versions. This explains the rapid market penetration from so many ‘first base’ enterprises to become visible front-runners, and surprisingly, pushing back the heavy weight brands to occupying less than 30 per cent of the tablet PC market.

Inevitably, within 1-2 years, the battle for market share will calm down and the mobile PC market will diversify into a set number of categories offering consumers specific solutions according to everyday working requirements. Already we see the clear application differences between ultra mobile, digitizer, fixed and rugged tablet pcs.

When market dominance is established by key players, then the battle for tablet products to stay relevant and in demand by consumers will rely on being capable of delivering innovation and staying in tune with changing needs to sustain brand loyalty, sales growth and forward investment.

Product life cycles and competitor products often lead to ‘pricing wars’ which can lead to a downward price spiral. This in turn increases pressure to remain competitive and produce handheld PCs still attractive to target consumer segments at expected quality standards with more competitively sourced materials to retain profitable margins.

The likelihood is that tablet manufacturers will need to once more broaden their category offerings and strategies and provide a range of alternative tablet PC applications attractive to a wider consumer base looking for very specific customised work / play solutions.

http://www.camtechsystems.co.uk/ are a professional computer sales and support supplier of a range of high quality Tablet PC equipment and are the UK distributor for PaceBlade, Motion and Armor Computing products and services, as well as being partnered with Web DT Technology, JLT and Viliv.