Apple's iPad is driving tablet sales that Gartner expects to reach 208 million by 2014, fueled by strong demand outside the U.S. Gartner expects tablets to cannibalize sales of e-readers, gaming devices, and netbooks. Smartphones could also be affected as tablets become more like phones. One analyst disagrees, and called Gartner a "sensationalist."
The iPad is driving worldwide tablet sales through the roof. Gartner is predicting tablet sales will reach 19.5 million units in 2010 before jumping 181 percent in 2011 to reach 54.8 million. By 2014, Gartner expects consumers to buy 208 million tablets.
"The all-in-one nature of media tablets will result in the cannibalization of other consumer electronics devices such as e-readers, gaming devices, and media players," said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. "Mini-notebooks will suffer from the strongest cannibalization threat as media-tablet average selling prices drop below $300 over the next two years."
By Jennifer LeClaire
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