Can AI help tablets grow like PCs & smartphones this year?

As artificial intelligence (AI) begins to transform personal computing and mobile experience for millions of users globally, can the new technology also drive the slow pace of growth for tablets?

Although the global tablet market began to show some signs of recovery in the January-March quarter this year, as per the IDC, the real gains are yet to come after more than two years of decline.

Anuroopa Nataraj, senior research analyst with IDC, says that the real gains will come from the next refresh cycle, “followed by growth within commercial segments as more tablets are used in the education sector and the gig economy”.

However, these factors will not help as competition from PCs and smartphones will “contribute to a lacklustre outlook for the tablet market”.

Meanwhile, global tablet shipments registered a modest growth of 0.5 per cent (year-on-year) in the first quarter this year, reaching 30.8 million units.

Tech giant Apple saw a lull last year due to “poor economy and the absence of new models” and declined 8.5 per cent (YoY).

The company is set to launch new iPads next week. South Korean company Samsung was second with 6.7 million units in the first quarter, a decline of 5.8 per cent, according to the report.