Piggybacking on the expected success of the Apple iPad, the total available market for tablet computers will jump to about 50 million over the next four years, according to a report released today by In-Stat.
According to In-Stat's report "The Rise Of The Internet Tablet: The Keys To Success," the Apple iPad is going to boost the emerging tablet PC market. Along with making the potential total available market 50 million units strong by 2014, In-State said the iPad also creates a potential semiconductor opportunity of more than $4.1 billion in 2014.
Meanwhile, other component vendors will hop on the bandwagon for opportunities for batteries and displays.
"Tablets have quickly become a high priority for competitors across the value chain, including mobile operators," said In-Stat analyst Jim McGregor in a statement. "Even more important is that the opportunity in tablets is complementary to other mobile devices, particularly smartphones and netbooks."
In-Stat's new report also suggests that based on bill of materials estimates, initial pricing of mainstream tablets should hit the $400 to $500 range. The Apple iPad is $499 for the base model.
Possibly holding up the tablet market boom, however, is that many tablet vendors lack carrier strategies for their tablets. So far, the Apple iPad is the only tablet solution that includes content and applications, along with a carrier strategy.
And while tablets, which fall between smartphones and PCs on a form-factor scale, will be an early consumer play, they are also poised to attract computing OEMs, In-Stat said.
