back to article Off-brand tablets look done, but big players are growing

The tablet computer market is sinking even as the fortunes of its main protagonists rise. That's the findings of analyst firm IDC's new Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker for 2017's third quarter. IDC counts keyboardless tablets and devices like the iPad Pro or Surface Pro that have a detachable keyboard as tablets. The firm' …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "and strengthening position of traditional PCs"

    So this is the same IDC that constantly tells us that traditional PC's are doomed and will be obsolete by 2016?

    1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Re: "and strengthening position of traditional PCs"

      I'm sure that IDC would release a report stating that Pigs do indeed Fly if they were paid enough.

      I have a nice power station on the south bank of the thames for sale, close to Victoria. Any takers?

      1. peterm3
        Go

        Re: "and strengthening position of traditional PCs"

        Apple has already bought it! http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-37497807

  2. James 51
    Meh

    I wouldn't mind having a 2 in 1 tablet with keyboard combo when my laptop dies. Only problem is they are going the way of netbooks. Most are crippled with a slow processor, 2 Gb of RAM and a 32 Gb eMMC and the prices are slowly creaping but (but the hammering the pound caused by brexit hasn't help) . If you could buy one minus the windows license that might cushion the blow a bit.

    1. 0laf

      Either they are slow underpowered or very expensive ultrabook style things.

      With too may options I'm not sure anyone knows what they want now. At home I mostly consume content so a half decent tablet is good for that in the kitchen. For Tv I a have FireTV which also gives me apps for most other things I watch.

      For work previously I would have wanted a laptops but tbh I've got tired of shit chiclet keyboards and small narrow screens no matter how many pixels they have. In fact I gave away my last laptop. My old HP business laptop form 10yr ago is still more usable for work with it's old fashioned keyboard and 4:3 screen.

      So personally I'm finding I've gravitation back to the desktop for work. 2x large monitors, decent keyboard, big mouse for my big hands and a decent desk and chair. My old i3 has done well for 5yr and it's time for a rebuild again.

    2. Pen-y-gors

      Been there, done that...

      A tale oif two halves - I bought an Asus 10" Android combo a couple of years ago. Technically not too bad, hardly ever used the keyboard. Lucky as it stopped working. Now the screen has stgopped recognising touch! Waste of money, and odd as I've had other Asus kit that's been fine.

      Part 2 - got an HP 13" notebook with 2GB RAM and 32Gb eMMC, and Win 10. It's great - for what I want - which is curling up in a corner to surf web, watch YouTube, do a bit of Word etc. Good battery life, quiet, real keyboard etc, and cost peanuts. I'm amazed that it does handle Win 10 and real software with 2GB but it does - just don't try working on 17 docs at once with 26 tabs open in Firefox. And for £200 odd you can't go far wrong.

      1. PM from Hell

        Re: Been there, done that...

        I have a similar experience with my lenovo MIIX 310, I bought the 2GB / 32 version and its been fine for email, web browsing, simple documents editing & small spreadsheets. It has a clambshell design with half decent keyboard. The tablet is attached at the hinge rather than being slotted in so it works well as a laptop.

        They have since released a 4gb 64 version but I don't know if they upgraded the processor. It does have limitations but if I want to do anything more complex I don#t want to use a 10 inch screen.

        1. Andytug

          Re: Been there, done that...

          Just bought one for those for my daughter, second hand, for less than 1/3 list price. So far she loves it, for casual browsing, movies, occasional schoolwork and YouTube it's fine. Battery life surprisingly good too. Would get another for myself if I can find one. I use a Surface Pro at work but it would be overkill (and expensive) for home use.

      2. Adrian 4

        Re: Been there, done that...

        Was that the Transformer ? I bought the similar Windows version on the strength of it having USB3, but it hasn't worn out because I barely use it. Poor technical information has left it well behind in Linux compatibility, and I have little use for a version of Windows that can't cope with the screen resolution and leaves everything too small to read. This ought to be an ideal target for Windows 8/10 (touch screen, optional keyboard etc) but it's unusable. The first thing it needs is phone-like display zoom, which it lacks. You did well to choose the Android version.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Only problem is they are going the way of netbooks

      You can't have the cake and eat it. Good hardware is expensive - open your wallet if you don't like the cheap one, there are plenty of choices. But didn't Linux work flawlessly in 640K of RAM, 10MB hard disk, and a 4.77MHz CPU??? I understand the grey beard is the Linux model, but remember penguins live at the South Pole, while Santa Claus at the North one, so, no, you won't get your i7, 16GB or RAM and 1TB SSD disk for the price of a landfill tablet, sorry. And it will come with Windows....

  3. David Roberts

    Windows or Android?

    I assume that most (non-Apple) tablets are Android but this doesn't seem to be called out in the figures.

    I use an original Sony Xperia Z 10" tablet for reading stuff and it is still working fine (apart from the USB port). Just as well I splashed out on the charging cradle as well.

    Full HD screen gives good quality viewing so why would I upgrade? Then again I am mainly using 5+ year old PCs for Windows/Linux.

    Tablets (apart from iPads) don't seem to have the relentless upgrade push in the UK that you see for phones. Then again most are Wifi only so aren't a major part of the mobile suppliers' revenue stream.

    Buying my first tablet gave me a major upgrade in portable functionality (although not the full replacement of a Netbook I was hoping for due to lack of serious software). At the moment I can't see a newer tablet giving me a step change in functionality.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Windows or Android?

      due to lack of serious software

      This is the big problem with tablets. They are fine for reading e-mails, the odd web browsing and other odd things - serious work requires something bigger and better with much more omph.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: Windows or Android?

        > I assume that most (non-Apple) tablets are Android but this doesn't seem to be called out in the figures.

        The article states that the figures include full Windows / Intel machines such as the Surface Pro, though one assumes that far fewer of these have shipped than cheap n cheerful Android tablets (£50 to keep the kids happy with CBeebies). Still, it's a curious decision group such very different machines together in the first place.

    2. fidodogbreath

      Re: Windows or Android?

      I assume that most (non-Apple) tablets are Android but this doesn't seem to be called out in the figures.

      Sammy and Lenovo make both make Android and W10 tablets, so it seems likely that their figures contain a mix of the two.

  4. Nick Ryan Silver badge

    Value for money?

    I'd consider a new tablet if any of them were good value for money - or at least a very good comparison to my Nexus 7 2013 which just goes on and on and on and I find to be a very convenient size. I can't find a remotely as good equivalent for anywhere near the amount that this cost - they are either hamstrung feature wise (or just likely to never receive updates), appallingly expensive or locked down with a disgusting and barely usable UI (amazon).

    1. WylieCoyoteUK

      Re: Value for money?

      Must agree, I find no need to replace my Xperia2 10".

      Also there is a strong second hand market, just sold a 4 year old Samsung Galaxy tab2 10.1" for over £50 on eBay.

      Tablets are not as relentlessly outdated as phones.

      PCs are lasting longer as well.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: Value for money?

        Bloody Tab 2, doesn't even have a gig of RAM. Doesn't seem to want to upgrade itself past Android 4.2. I have a Tab 1 10.1 too - "Firmware update failed, please try using Kies" so stuck on Android 3. Urgh. Still awaiting email response from Samsung.

      2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

        Re: Value for money?

        I don't think phones are outdated any faster than tablets - there have been few killer features in the last 4 years. It's just that people break them more, as they're used out-and-about. Also the batteries take more of a hammering, with charging cycle tending to be daily, if not twice daily.

        Whereas tablets tend to get less use from most people - and so are only getting charged ever couple of days. And tend to stay in the relative safety of the home.

        The other two reasons I'd suggest are financial. Firstly tablets are often bought for family use, or even exclusively for the kids. So it's not the user that's paying. And most people still get phones on contract, and there's still a lot of people who think an upgrade is free - rather than getting a cheaper SIM only contract, and buying new phones every 3-4 years.

      3. Blank Reg

        Re: Value for money?

        I'm still on the original Xperia and still have no need to replace it. Certainly not for what they are currently charging for any decent 10" tablet.

    2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: Value for money?

      were good value for money

      Sort of depends on what you need. If all you want is a media player with a big screen then go cheap and cheerful.

      If you want waterproofing and good stylus support then you should be prepared to pay quite a lot more. For devices of this size squeezing as much into a light package is not easy.

  5. Cuddles

    Who's cheap?

    "Buyers remain keenest on cheap kit, the firm says, which is why..."

    ...Apple are by far the biggest. Wait, that doesn't sound right at all.

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: Who's cheap?

      It's a weird analysis, as it is looking at £50 Android tablets, £400 iPads and £1,500 Surface Pros.

      It's like comparing wheelbarrows to pickup trucks.

    2. Spanners Silver badge
      Boffin

      Re: Who's cheap?

      ...Apple are by far the biggest. Wait, that doesn't sound right at all.

      IOS is showing as 21.9% of the martket. There are two alternatives, Windows and Android. If they are equal (unlikely) then they are 39% each. That's not far off twice IOS share..

      I suspect that Androuid accounts for a lot more than half of the non Apple tablet sales so it will be a higher % than the rest of the market combined.

      No, Apple is not the biggest. It is however likely to be the most profitable by a huge margin as it charges premium prices for barely above average kit.

      1. Cuddles

        Re: Who's cheap?

        "IOS is showing as 21.9% of the martket."

        No, Apple is showing as 25.8% of the market. If you're going to try making stupid, irrelevant arguments you could at least start by getting the basic numbers correct.

        "There are two alternatives, Windows and Android."

        No, there are lots of alternatives, Samsung, Amazon, Huawei and Lenovo being noted in the article as the four next largest. You seem to be making the rather bizarre mistake of confusing an operating system with a company. Yes, Android is the OS with the largest market share. No, that does not make any difference whatsoever to Apple's market share, which is significantly larger than any other manufacturer, regardless of what OS they may choose to put on their products.

        Also, you spelt "Android" wrong.

  6. Alan Bourke

    Buh buh buh the PC dead

    The men said, on the internet.

  7. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

    I looked at the Lenovo Yoga tablets, because I really like the form factor. But the cheap ones have rubbish low-resolution screens, and the more expensive one isn't a great deal better other than the screen. They seem to have spent most of that cash on a weird projector, that I can't believe anyone wants on a tablet.

    Maybe I'm being unfair to Android, but last time I looked it wasn't as good on a tablet as it was on a phone. So if a Droid is the same price as an iPad, why not just have an iPad?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I grabbed a Lenovo Yoga Book

      And bloody love it. Android flies along but then it should with 2.4ghz processor and 4GB of RAM. I can forgive the touchpad for the odd bout of mentalness and I find most apps cover the bases.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @I ain't Spartacus

      ?Why not just have an iPad?

      Because I don't want an iPad.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I want to buy a quality android tablet at a fair price

    but where are they?

    Apple is an instant non-starter (would never touch anything Apple) I would never buy Samsung (loaded with too much crap and deviates too far from stock Android). Pretty much everything else I have looked at is worthless £50 tat, tied to Amazon, or has a weird aspect ratio.

    We have 2 tablets in the house, a Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, and a Nexus 7 2013, both long on the tooth, an absolutely nothing credible on the market to replace them with.

    The tablet market is in decline, as manufacturers are selling the wrong products, or chasing the wrong target. Where is the true successor to the Nexus 7 2013? There isn't one....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I want to buy a quality android tablet at a fair price

      Just added a third Fusion5 here and the two qualities that the previous Fusion5 108 lacked, decent screen and sound, have been fixed. Good sound & 1080p on the 10.6" screen. Allwinner octo-core, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB storage with, yes, a uSD slot, uUSB for charging or data, separate charger that I usually use, host controller full USB port, and mHDMI that works great even on the previous model as I'd feed it to my displays. $135.

      Multitasks like a beast which is a good thing as that's the absolute minimum requirement to keep my (in)sanity normalized. Very fluid response bouncing from app to app. I think that's everything. Oh, it has updates. Now that's everything. Company manufactures their product in Texas, FWIW.

    2. Richard Lloyd

      Re: I want to buy a quality android tablet at a fair price

      ...they're all on the Chinese gadget shopping sites now (Gearbest, Geekbuying, Aliexpress etc). Unless they ship from a UK warehouse, you are of course at risk of both multi-week shipping times and import duty/VAT/handling charges.

      I bought a Teclast T10 recently from Gearbest (there's a T8 smaller model now too, but it's not much cheaper) - it's currently a stonking 160 quid and has excellent specs (better than my Samsung Tab S that cost me twice as much).

      I think the last couple of generations of high-end tablets from Samsung and Google have been quite poor buys - expensive and 4:3 aspect ratio (no good for media consumption/games, which is surely the primary use for tablets?). It's why I had to turn to China to get the best bang for buck really.

    3. dr john

      Re: I want to buy a quality android tablet at a fair price

      I struggled to find a high res small Android tablet until I spotted the Asus Zenpad 3 8.0,(Z581KL) with it's hexa core 1.8GHz processor, 2048x1536 pixel 7.9" screen, gps and SD slot. The Amazon models all lacked a gps, and have lower screen res, plus slower processors.

      I'd dropped my older tablet and it landed face down on concrete with the padded cover flipping open at just the wrong moment. The quoted repair price for the glass and touch sensor was only a little less than the above new tablet - £220 vs £228. Hard decision - repair or upgrade...

      Beats my frozen 2012 Nexus 7 too (it died on the infamous OS update)

      Many tablet makers are rushing to produce the cheapest device, quality ones are harder to get now.

  9. NonSSL-Login

    Price range and expectations

    The price vs performance (and quality) of the models is what puts me off tablets.

    I have a PC,laptop AND a mobile phone with a decent sized screen, so a tablet is more of a would like and would use but far from essential.

    For that reason I don't want to pay for a surface pro which is way too much power than I need but more importantly, too expensive.

    A cheap tablet doesn't have the best performance and ram is always so damn limited too. With a very cheap tablet you get annoyed with them being slow and then the lack of joy using them makes them become back of drawer fodder.

    There are not many any between choices unless you want to go to the Chinese market which can be hit and miss. Give me a 12" tablet with 3gb (or more) ram and a fairly decent arm processor for about £100 to £120 and I might be interested.

    Maybe I want more than is feasibly possible due to costs but that doesn't change my position.

  10. dave 93
    Mushroom

    Much hyped 'death of the iPad' is wishful thinking - 11% year-on-year growth

    Apple's iPad is the only tablet on the market that will continue to get updates and support after you hand over your cash. For that reason alone, iPads are a better investment than any Android or Fire device.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Much hyped 'death of the iPad' is wishful thinking - 11% year-on-year growth

      Unfortunately, you end up with an iPad. So no thanks.

    2. Nick Ryan Silver badge

      Re: Much hyped 'death of the iPad' is wishful thinking - 11% year-on-year growth

      Not strictly true. There is churn in iPads as well with newer OS updates somehow, despite being "more efficient", causing older models to run like dogs compared to before the OS updates. While you can avoid the updates you will find that many apps start requiring newer OS versions and that's the second problem after the performance.

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