MEA tablet market to fall

Dubai: The Middle East and Africa (MEA) tablet market is expected to decline for the third quarter in a row as consumers are reluctant to replace their existing devices and majority of the tasks that were previously performed on tablets have now shifted to bigger smartphones.

The MEA tablet market contracted 8.8 per cent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of last year, 12.3pc in the first quarter of this year and an expected 9.13pc in the second quarter which ends on
June 30.

Fouad R. Charakla, senior research manager at International Data Corporation, said all vendors are feeling the pinch from the economic slowdown and low oil prices.

“Considering the thin margins on the lower-end products that account for the bulk of demand, vendors are unwilling to offer any further support to channels, leading to a decline in shipments across the region,” he said.

Nakul Dogra, a senior research analyst for personal computing, systems, and infrastructure solutions at research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), said that the lengthening of tablet replacement cycles have inevitably had a negative impact on overall demand. (Gulf News)