The popularity of tablets has been well documented. In both the consumer and enterprise IT landscape, more individuals are realizing the benefit of mobility. On top of that, the functionality of smartphones and tablets put the devices on par with traditional computers. Because of this, the main object that people use to get online has changed.
According to a recent survey from digital consultancy Canalys, tablet computer adoption continues to rise. The numbers show that 50 percent of all computing devices sold around the world in 2014 will be tablets. So far this year, the marketplace has expanded by 18 percent.
To put that in terms of number of units sold, in 2014 there will be 285 million tablets sold compared to 192 million laptops and 98 million desktops. The forecast continues to predict that by 2017, the number of tablets sold in a year will increase to 396 million.
Apple, the company that created the tablet market with the iPad, maintains an edge in profitability in a competitive marketplace.
"Apple is one of the few companies making money from the tablet boom," Canalys senior analyst Tim Coulling told the CBC. "Premium products attract high value consumers; for Apple, remaining highly profitable and driving revenue from its entire ecosystem is of greater importance than market share statistics."
As this trend continues, more companies are going to need to be aware of the influence and make sure they are able to manage the devices. With the help of an IT consulting firm that specializes in tablet and iPad deployment, any company can start taking steps toward the future.
