Australian tablet sales for the second half of 2017 have plateaued rising only one per cent with 1.65 million devices sold according to the Telsyte Australian Tablet Computer Market Study 2018.
Tablet sales are close to peaking with more than 15 million Aussies having access to a tablet at the end of 2017, only 200,000 more than the prior year.
iPad sales grew 16 per cent due to a replacement cycle driven by the new budget-friendly 9.7-inch iPad and an overall increase in interest for the iPad Pro series, which some say has been positioned as a PC replacement device.
Android tablets sales plummeted by 16 per cent compared to the prior year as more users switch to 2-in-1s. Samsung and Lenovo were the best selling vendors in Australia during that period.
The Telsyte research shows demand for 2-in-1 tablets is rapidly growing with its sales accounting for over 40 per cent of total tablet sales, with the enterprise and BYOD segments driving continued market growth.
Sales of 2-in-1 tablets during the second half of 2017 was still predominantly driven by Windows with more Australians considering Windows 2-in-1 tablets when it comes to upgrading their laptops.
Telsyte has identified education and enterprise as key growth segments for tablet sales in the next year or so.
Windows 2-in-1 tablet sales increased by 13 per cent in the second half of 2017 with the Windows tablet sales overtaking Android tablet sales for the first time.
Telsyte’s latest tablet research found some 35 per cent of tablet users tether to their smartphones while out and about, as the average smartphone data allowance has more than doubled since 2016.
The report thinks eSIMS will be the big driver for mobility and tablets.
eSIMs are integrated SIMs in digital devices such as smartphones, wearables, tablets and other Internet connected devices. Devices with eSIMs can be connected to supporting mobile networks without requiring a physical SIM card.