Study: Smaller tablets to decline as consumers go big

Lending credence to the rumor that Amazon will release a bigger version of its Kindle Fire, new research from In-Stat suggests 9-inch+ tablets will grab the lion’s share of the market over the next few years. Smaller models will remain a good choice for some consumers, but as price tags drop consumers will gravitate toward getting the most bang, and screen real estate, for their buck.

According to In-Stat, shipments of tablets between 3.5 and 7-inches will drop to 15.6 million units in 2016 while larger tablets measuring 9.7-inches or more will garner 65 percent of the global market. To put that number into perspective: Apple sold 15.4 million iPads during the 2011 holiday season.

Consumers who snatch up those cheaper, smallish alternatives will likely have specific uses in mind, explained Stephanie Ethier, senior analyst.

“Screen size has emerged not only as a key differentiator, but also the leading indicator of different tablet usages,” said Ethier. “For example, tablets with smaller form factors in the 3.5-inch to less than 7-inch range best serve entertainment needs that are typically considered complementary to everyday activities like commuting, exercising, and other on-the-go activities.”

Last week, Taiwanese IT news site Digitimes once again reported that Amazon would release a new 10-inch model of its Kindle Fire just in time for its one-year birthday. Citing anonymous inside sources, the site revealed that the online retailer has abandoned previous plans to release an 8.9-inch version thanks to the Fire’s strong commercial reception. The device, which launched last November, has moved approximately four million units to date.

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