Juniper Research: Global tablet shipments to reach 253 million units in 2016

According to the latest research report published by market research company Juniper Research on September 22, 2011, by 2016, global tablet shipments will reach 253 million units, nearly five times the 55.2 million units expected in 2011. With the launch of Apple's second-generation iPad tablet earlier this year, other smartphone manufacturers such as HTC, LG, Motorola and RIM have also launched their first-generation tablets. As other opportunities in the PC market have shrunk, other manufacturers in the PC market have also joined the competition in the tablet market. These manufacturers include Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Toshiba.

By 2016, more than half of tablets sold will have cellular connectivity. Currently, tablets with additional cellular connectivity account for a much smaller percentage of all tablets than those with only WiFi network access. However, this situation will change significantly. Network access technology will play an important role. 4G networks in developed countries will enable richer services on cellular connections. The lack of fixed-line infrastructure in emerging markets will make cellular connectivity a must-have feature for tablets.

The report predicts that nearly one in five tablets sold in 2016 will be sold to businesses as they continue to realize their potential for content creation.