The latest report by the International Data Corporation (IDC) reveals that Windows will be the only OS that can successfully break from the yearly decline of tablet sales. Said operating system is seen as even being capable of flourishing in a market that appears to have become stagnant.
The increasing popularity of so-called phablet devices has caused the tablet market to suffer as a whole. This is because most consumers have seen their advantages of having both a big screen and call capabilities.
The fourth quarter of 2014 marked the first year-over-year decline in global tablet shipments.
"There still remains a portion of the market that wants to use a larger device so they can tailor their experience to the appropriate screen size," said senior research analyst Jitesh Ubrani at Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker.
Based on the tablet market figures released by the IDC, worldwide shipments of the devices will reach up to 234.5 million in 2015 which is a modest increase of 2.1 percent compared to the previous year. IDC said that the boost in sales of the devices is the result of the arrival of Windows 10.
"The introduction of Windows 10 later this year is expected to be well received and support the Windows ecosystem, including some PC replacements," said by the IDC. "However, it will also provide a better experience with mouse and keyboard, effectively relieving some pressure to move towards touch, and supporting non-PC devices such as two-in-ones, likely without boosting total PC shipments significantly."
The IDC has also forecasted that Apple's market share will have its first taste of decline in 2015, something that will place it at its lowest level in three years. A number of speculations claim that Apple is gearing up for the release of a bigger iPad that it touts as having advanced features to rekindle sales. However, some experts seemed to disagree.
Android will manage to maintain its lead on tablets and is speculated to dominate nearly two-thirds of the market toward 2019. Likewise, it is estimated that Microsoft's Surface tablets will make up 14.1 percent of total tablet sales by that same year. Part of the increase is credited to rising demand in the commercial sector.
"We believe the launch of Windows 10 later this year will not only have a significant impact on Microsoft's share of the market, but on the industry as a whole," said tablets research director Jean Philippe Bouchard.
