With IT spending once again on the rise, tech manufacturers are optimistic about their device sales in the coming year.
Market research firm Gartner today estimated that shipments of devices including PCs, Tablets, and Phones will reach more than 2.47 billion by the end of 2014. This represents a 7.6% increase in device shipments from Gartner’s estimated 2.3 billion devices shipped during 2013.
As expected, mobile phones (including smartphones) are expected to account for the majority of this year’s device shipments. Gartner estimates that over 1.9 billion mobile phones will be shipped during 2014. Phone shipment estimates are followed by tablets (263 million), PCs (278 million), and other devices (63 million that includes hybrid computers and “ultramobile” devices).
As mobile phone shipments continue to dominate device shipments, Google’s Android OS is expected to continue its dominance of the mobile phone industry. Gartner estimates that 1.1 billion of this year’s shipped devices will have some form of Android on them, followed by Windows (360 million), and Apple’s iOS or Mac OS (a combined 344 million). Gartner believes Android’s massive market dominance will continue in the coming years, led by emerging markets where low-end smartphones are expected to lead industry growth.
“The device market continues to evolve, with buyers deciding which combination of devices is required to meet their wants and needs,” said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner. “Mobile phones are a must have and will continue to grow but at a slower pace, with opportunities moving away from the top-end premium devices to mid-end basic products. Meanwhile users continue to move away from the traditional PC (notebooks and desk-based) as it becomes more of a shared content creation tool, while the greater flexibility of tablets, hybrids and lighter notebooks address users’ increasingly different demands.”