The Samsung Galaxy Note II is seen at the 2013 International CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 8, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The USD 300 "phablet" is currently available through major wireless phone carriers
IT works like a phone, looks like a mini tablet and sounds like something out of Doctor Who - it's the "phablet", and it's coming to a pocket near you in 2013.
The phablet - a combination of a mobile phone and tablet - has been forecast as the hottest gadget of the year by Deloitte in their annual Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Predictions report released today.
Deloitte lead telecommunications partner Stuart Johnston said the phablet - epitomised by phones with screens five inches or larger - would become "the uber cool device of 2013".
Deloitte lead media partner Clare Harding said contrary to previous years when micro-sized devices were all the rage, consumers were now demanding supersized phones with larger screens.
"It's the size of the screen that is driving the phablet appetite," she said.
"A noticeable trend at the International Consumer Electronics Show 2013 in Las Vegas (CES) was the number of manufacturers releasing supersized smartphones or phablets.
"Typically they have 4.5 to 5.5 inch screens and provide a much richer experience than a smaller smartphone, yet without the inconvenience of a tablet."
However Johnston said the phablet wouldn't entirely replace the traditional laptop or desktop computer, which he predicted would account for 70 per cent of all hours spent on computing devices and 80 per cent of all internet use in 2013.
"The PC is not dead," Mr Johnston said.
"It is screen size and keyboards that are driving the vast majority of connected traffic ... so even with very strong mobile growth predicted, the mobile device share of internet traffic will be no more that 15 per cent worldwide by the end of 2013."
No comments:
Post a Comment