Worldwide Tablet Hybrid Device Shipments Can Reach 50 Million by 2018

What exactly is a tablet hybrid device? It is a tablet that turns into a laptop, or a laptop that breaks apart into a tablet. It is a fairly simple idea. If there more than one piece that can split apart, it's a hybrid. The keyboard base generally has extra ports and connections like USB and sometimes an extra battery.

The top part is a tablet that also functions as the screen. The processors inside can also be vastly different, a fast Ultrabook-level Intel Core i-series, Intel Atom-based, or Nvidia Tegra can be used to drive it. In basic terms, tablet hybrids combine the mobility of a tablet with the added functionality of an Ultrabook.

A new study by Juniper Research finds that we can expect to see significant growth in the tablet hybrid market in just a few short years. By significant, I mean that the forecast growth is expected to see today’s 9.5 million devices flourish to 50 million by 2018.

The new report from Juniper is entitled “Tablets & Hybrids: Market Prospects 2014-2018.” The results demonstrate that as new form factors emerge, the tablet market is quickly becoming diverse. We have already seen this with the phablet, which is a hybrid between a smartphone and a tablet. Tablet hybrids are the larger step up, the cross-over between a tablet and an Ultrabook.

As more of these hybrids become available, it seems that there are two groups in particular whose interest has been peaked. Not surprising, business users are the first group. This is understandable, while there is the convenience of traveling with a tablet, if substantial editing work needs to be done, it can be accomplished more efficiently with a separate keyboard, giving the user more screen real estate.

The second group that seems to fall into the niche demographic is gamers. These are also two groups that could and would spend for the cost of a tablet hybrid. An example used is the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro. It is looked at as a business friendly tablet together with a dedicated keyboard and mouse.

Some of the other key findings that Juniper Research’s report found include:

• Hybrid ASP will remain stable over the forecast period due to the more affluent demographics.
• Retailers are increasingly launching low cost tablets as a gateway to their online services via widgets and pre-installed features.

As the technology develops, we are also seeing that most tablets are coming down in price. When you add some of the deals that carriers are offering, you notice that tablets are becoming more affordable to everyone.

This drop in tablet prices has led to the ability of being able to provide the devices to a field that can greatly benefit from it. I am referring to education. Lower prices means that several governments and schools can provide their students with either free or subsidized tablets.

Two governments have already taken the initiative in providing tablets as educational tools. The government of Thailand's One Tablet PC per Child policy and the Aakash tablets subsidized by the Indian government are two such examples. This could have a considerable influence in the future of education.