If you were in the mood of hearing only good news regarding tablets, then better prepare for some negative numbers. The prospects for the second quarter of the year are rather bleak.
According to statistics posted by IDC, tablet shipments for the second quarter of the year are estimated to be around 39 million units at most. And this is a notable, but understandable, dip from tablet shipments number during the year.
The first quarter of the year saw figures of 49.2 million, and the figure above translates to a plunge of between 20 to 30 percent.
This particular forecast comes from the supply chain in Taiwan that (somewhat accurately) predict order placed by brand owners — in this case not placed.
What this means is that everyone, from Apple and Samsung to other big vendors are about to see their sales falter between the start of April and end of June.
Microsoft, on the other hand, is currently trying to make a most of the situation by debuting two of its premier tablets (Surface RT and Surface Pro) across the globe. This is a move that will not only help Redmond move some units, but also streamline its retail channels.
This is Microsoft’s first ever major foray into the hardware realm, after all.
And this global organization of the retail outlets that sell its tablets will come in real handy when second generation Surface tablets make their way to the store shelves.
