Tablet Sales May Be Cooling Down, But Don't Tell That To Detachables

The tablet market may be slowing down, but one particular type of tablet -- detachables -- will become increasingly popular in the coming years, according to market research firm IDC.

That’s certainly true in the channel, solution providers say, as customers show more interest in second-generation detachables driven by the launches of Intel’s next-generation processor and Microsoft’s Windows 10.

’We have seen an uptick in demand for detachables and convertibles driven by Windows 10 and Intel’s Skylake,’ said Ira Grosman, CTO of end-user and mobile computing at Cleveland-based MCPc, a solution provider touting solutions and services for tablets from vendors including Apple, Dell, Lenovo and Samsung.

[Related: Samsung To Launch Certification Program For Samsung Knox Mobile Security Platform]

’This is following an increase in demand with the first-generation devices that organizations quickly determined didn’t meet the form-factor requirements,’ he said. ’These second-generation detachables are slimmer, connect more elegantly, and in some cases have larger screens, faster processors, [and] sufficient battery life without the battery or keyboard combination.’

According to IDC, detachables, a hybrid category that transforms slate tablets into laptops, will see 73 percent year-over-year growth in 2016.

IDC projected that detachable tablets will grow from 16.6 million shipments in 2015 to 63.8 million in 2020. Overall, detachables will explode from 8 percent of the tablet market in 2016 to 30 percent in 2020.

The transition from tablet slate form factors to detachables will spur increasing sales of larger device screens that are above 9 inches.

’We're … witnessing an increase in competition within this segment that will help drive design, innovation and a decline in average prices,’ said Jean Philippe Bouchard, research director for tablets at IDC. ’Everyone in the industry recognizes that traditional personal computers like desktops and notebooks will potentially be replaced by detachables in the coming years, and this is why we will see a lot of new products being introduced this year."

In the enterprise, Grosman said IT departments are asking about detachables’ serviceability, general life cycles and how the devices will support workplace transformation strategies.

Solution providers fit into this popularity of detachable tablets through innovative solutions and implementation services, said John Convery, CEO of John Convery Consulting, an Issaquah, Wash.-based company providing strategic advice and practical insights to solution providers.

’One thing that is certain in our industry is change,’ he said. ’All change is driven by the customer, and the channel is the catalyst. … Partners provide the innovation and expertise [to] deliver and support the needs of the customer.’

In 2016, detachable tablets running on Windows, such as Surface Pro tablets, will dominate the detachables market with 53.3 percent share, according to IDC. Meanwhile, iOS-based detachables will take 28.5 percent market share, while Android-based detachable tablets will lag behind with only 18.2 percent market share, the research firm said.

In addition, according to IDC, Microsoft-based devices will begin to take share from Android-based detachables in the coming year.