According to the latest data from the market research institute Gartner, the number of mobile hybrid devices shipped will reach 21.5 million units this year. Analysts define this device class as a subgroup of ultra-mobile computers, with screen sizes of 10 to 14 inches and which can be used as both a tablet and a notebook. They estimate that hybrids will account for 12% of the total market for mobile PCs in 2015, with this share expected to grow to 26% by 2019.
A survey of 21,000 people in the US, China, Brazil, India and Germany showed that 11% of tablet owners, 10% of desktop computer users, and 8% of notebook users in the consumer sector want to switch to a mobile hybrid device in the next two years. Gartner expects the pace of change to be somewhat slower in the enterprise sector, as hybrid devices above all offer benefits for touch and voice control. Windows 7 is still the most widely used operating system in companies, and legacy applications are mostly not touch-enabled. The availability of Windows 10 should, however, reinforce demands for a new user experience even in the professional sector. (Source: Gartner/rf)