April 2, 2015: Combined shipments of devices (PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones) in the Asia Pacific region are forecast to total 1.2 billion units in 2015, an increase of 3.2 percent over 2014 (see table 1), according to Gartner, Inc.
“Device penetration is very high in Asia Pacific – at or beyond saturation point in mature markets and major cities in the emerging markets,” said Gartner principal analyst Lillian Tay.
“Market saturation, along with consumers extending the lifetime of their tablets, has caused a re-calibration in the growth trajectory in the market. From 2016, we expect the tablet market to resume growth from a stabilised base.”
The computing devices market is forecast to decline 1.9 percent this year, affected by weak demand for tablets. The PC market overall will continue to grow slightly, as shipments in the premium ultramobile category compensate for a decline in sales of traditional desk-based and notebook PCs.
Table 1
Asia Pacific Devices Shipments by Device Type, 2014-2017 (Thousands of Units)
| Device Type | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| Traditional PC (Deskbased and Notebook) | 93,122 | 90,983 | 90,036 | 89,233 |
| Ultramobile (Premium) | 9,531 | 13,460 | 16,115 | 17,936 |
| PC Market | 102,653 | 104,442 | 106,152 | 107,169 |
| Other Ultramobile (Tablets and Clamshells) | 67,776 | 62,816 | 63,245 | 63,733 |
| Computing Devices Market | 170,428 | 167,258 | 169,397 | 170,901 |
| Mobile Phones | 987,725 | 1,028,389 | 1,088,987 | 1,111,488 |
| Total Devices Market | 1,158,153 | 1,195,647 | 1,258,384 | 1,282,390 |
Source: Gartner (March 2015)
Note: The Ultramobile (Premium) category includes devices such as Microsoft’s Windows 8 Intel x86 products and Apple’s MacBook Air.
The Ultramobile (Tablets and Clamshells) category includes devices such as, iPad, iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5, Nexus 7 and Acer Iconia Tab 8, HP Pavilion 11, Lenovo Yoga 2 11 and Dell Inspiron 13.
The overall increase in device shipments is driven by 4.1 percent growth in the mobile phone market, as cheaper priced smartphones stimulate replacements, especially in emerging markets.
“Chinese vendors are aiming to grow in emerging Asian markets for their expansion plans outside China, as the local market is approaching saturation point,” said CK Lu, principal analyst at Gartner.
“However, local currency depreciation against the dollar is deterring Chinese handset makers from pushing down smartphone prices to reach wider segments,” he said. “This could limit their growth in 2015.”
About Gartner
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company. The company delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is the valuable partner to clients in approximately 10,000 distinct enterprises worldwide. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, USA, and has 6,800 associates, including more than 1,500 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 90 countries.
