JEDDAH — Increasing demand for Tablet PCs from education and healthcare sectors coupled with anticipated decline in average selling prices to drive Tablet PC adoption in UAE through 2019, according to a report by TechSci Research “UAE Tablet PC Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2019”. Over the past few years, computing technology has undergone radical changes, globally. This has also lead to robust growth in adoption of high-end technology products such as Tablet PCs, smartphones, etc. in the UAE. Working professionals, in particular, are increasingly shifting towards portable devices, which are easy-to-carry and provide seamless connectivity on the go. In consonance with these developments, the market for Tablet PCs in the UAE has been witnessing significant growth since 2011, with the adoption expected to increase over the next five years as well. The report said the market for Tablet PCs in the UAE is forecast to cross $1.2 billion by 2019. Increasing adoption of new technology products in corporate sector coupled with the government's plans to improve the educational infrastructure are among the major factors driving Tablet PC sales in the country. Samsung and Apple are among the most popular Tablet PC brands available in the UAE. Other major players such as Lenovo, Asus, Intex and X touch are launching budget Tablet PCs in the market to attract consumer attention. Presently, Android based Tablet PCs are more popular due to their user-friendly interfaces and high-end features. In terms of display size, Tablet PCs with 7-9 inches displays are the most preferred tablets among consumers as they score high on the mobility aspect. “With increasing penetration of Tablet PCs, a large number of players are expected to foray into the UAE's Tablet PC market and offer cost-effective, portable mobile devices with features comparable to high-end Tablet PC models. This, in turn, is expected to result in sizeable dip in average selling prices of Tablet PCs in the coming years. Detachable laptops introduced in the UAE by a few players are also expected to transform the market dynamics of the country's Tablet PC market over the coming years”, said Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a global management consulting firm. — SG
