Tablet computers are the wave of the future in mobile computing, and their popularity will soon surpass that of laptop computers. This is a statement made lately by a well-known industry veteran, Rich Miner, who serves as Google’s CTO for Android tablets and was responsible for the creation of Android in 2007. Miner believes that if tablets reach the point of no return in terms of sales, laptops will no longer be able to compete with tablet sales throughout the globe.
In an appearance on The Android Show earlier this week, Miner made the remarks. As he put it, “I truly believe that there will be a tipping point at some time in the not-too-distant future where the number of tablets sold yearly will surpass the number of laptops.” “I believe that once you’ve crossed that line, you’re not going to be returning,” says the author.
Miner also provided his thoughts on why he believes this position move is likely to occur. He claimed that tablets are “less costly than a laptop,” but that they are capable of doing a wide range of functions. During the broadcast, he noted that tablets are increasingly being used for purposes other than media consumption. Since the devices have become increasingly capable for use cases including creativity and productivity, individuals have begun to favor tablets over laptops as a result of this trend.
In addition, as reported by 9to5Google, Miner pointed out that the crossover has already begun to take place in some areas. To give an example, in 2020, tablet sales are expected to nearly match global shipments of laptops. While he acknowledges that the pandemic was a significant “acceleration factor” in this rise, he believes that the current sales spike will continue for some time.
The co-founder of Android stated that the popularity of tablets is gaining momentum despite the fact that they have been around for a lengthy period of time. Google has also observed a significant increase in the number of individuals who attach a keyboard to their tablets, indicating that people have begun to use tablets as their primary mobile device for functionality that goes beyond the capabilities of a touch screen device.
Additionally, Miner discussed the efforts being made by Google to improve the tablet experience in the near future. A significant boost will come in the form of “tablet-first” applications, which will design functionality around the extra screen area that tablets allow. The applications will also focus on reinventing the use-case with devices that are not tied to a keyboard and are thus far more portable than laptops, such as smartphones and tablets. Miner predicts that this technique will lead to the development of “radically new use cases.”
