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IDC: 2014 Global Tablet Shipments Growth To Slow to 19%
By Teresa Rivas
A new report from the International Data Corporation forecasts that worldwide shipments of tablets will grow 19.4% this year, well below the 51.6% growth of the total market in 2013 and a 3.6% reduction from its previous estimates.

IDC also notes that the rapid dropoff in average selling prices of tablets in recent years is also moderating. For example, ASPs of tablets declined 18.3% year-over-year in 2012, while last year saw prices fall only 14.6%. IDC expects just a 3.6% decline in average selling prices this year.

The estimates are a result of the tablet market becoming more mature, especially in more developed markets, where consumers are also upgrading their devices more slowly.

However, while consumers aren’t buying as many tablets, the commercial side of the mix will grow: It was only 11% of the market last year, but is expected to climb to 14% of tablets sold this year, and be 18% of the market by 2018.

Earlier this week came a 2013 global tablet sales tally from Gartner, which found that devices using Google’s (GOOG) Android operating system saw sales climb 127%, while Apple’s (AAPL) iPads dropped and Microsoft’s (MSFT) Surface sales volume improved, but still remained small.