Gartner predicts smartphones, tablets sales to reach 1.2 billion in 2013

By Kul Bhushan | Updated on 08-Nov-2012

08-Nov-2012

Research firm Gartner predicts 821 million units of smartphones and tablets will be sold worldwide by 2012-end. The figure is projected to rise to 1.2 billion in 2013. Gartner says the trend of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is gaining popularity, and mobile devices are proving to be more practical for employees rather the traditional PCs or laptops.

According to Gartner, the businesses will purchase 13 million tablets by 2012-end, and predicts the figure to hit 53 million by 2016. The research firm also predicts mobile platforms Android and iOS will soon replace RIM’s BlackBerry platform in the enterprise segment.

“In just 12 months businesses have moved from resisting Apple to accepting its devices in the organisation,” says Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner, in a statement. “As businesses are looking for a multi-device strategy and a rich application portfolio it is clear that RIM has a huge challenge ahead to regain its strong presence in the enterprise.”

Android is expected to dominate the mobile market, including the businesses sector, with 56 percent of devices to run a Google OS – up from 34 percent predicted for this year.

Interestingly, Microsoft is expected to grab the third place market by 2016 driven by Windows 8 platform. Gartner says, “the share of Windows 8 tablets and ultramobiles in businesses will reach 39 percent in 2016, adding that tablets and convertibles will be the way into businesses for Windows 8 – enterprises being more wary of upgrading Windows on desktop PCs.

“For most businesses smartphones and tablets will not entirely replace PCs, but the ubiquity of smartphones and the increasing popularity of tablets are changing both the way consumers embrace devices and business device strategies,” notes Milanesi.

Source: TechCrunch

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