Steve Job’s “post-PC” era is slowly proving not to be the stuff of dreams. And it’s official, this year will prove to be an excellent year for tablets, as 2013 will go into tech history as the year when tablets finally managed to outsell notebooks PCs. The NPD Display Search firm came up with the forecast, which it already published in its Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report. There the company stated that, 2013 will see 240 million tablet PCs shipped worldwide, as compared to just 207 million notebooks. The 33 million difference is quite a remarkable one.

The US market especially saw the biggest growth iin the second half of 2012. Senior analyst with NPD DisplaySearch, Richard Shim, stated:

"In 2013, further investments are expected worldwide, stoking demand to the point that tablet PC shipments will exceed those of notebook PCs."

The report also made another interesting speculation. The firm stated that in 2013, smaller tablets (maybe like the iPad mini) will probably challenge Apple’s 9.7-inch iPad dominance on the market.

NPD expects 7 to 8-inch screen tablet business to rise up by 45% (or 108 million units) in 2013. 9.7 inches tablets will start experiencing a decrease, accounting for only 17% (or 41 million units) of the total shipments. Tablet sales have already surpassed notebook ones in China and North America, so it’s just a matter of time before the trend spreads worldwide. NPD also predicts that China will hold 27% of the global tablet market. Nevertheless, America is going to remain the largest consumer market with 35%.

Source: AppleInsider

Not surprising at all. Laptops are probably considered big and clunky by today's standards where the smaller something is the better it is. Or so they say. I fond screen sizes to be a limiting factor and simply can't deal with tiny phone screens or small tablet screens. But, it's the way of the world. Small is hip.

I find that the full sized iPad screen is perfect for me. I'm slowly becoming the monolith though! The mini tablets will be taking over soon.

I differentiate between laptop and netbook. I still use my laptop, which does plenty of stuff an iPad can't do. My netbooks have been gathering dust since I started using iPads, though. I expect to keep buying laptops, but not netbooks.

Originally Posted by s2mikey

Not surprising at all. Laptops are probably considered big and clunky by today's standards where the smaller something is the better it is. Or so they say. I fond screen sizes to be a limiting factor and simply can't deal with tiny phone screens or small tablet screens. But, it's the way of the world. Small is hip.

I find that the full sized iPad screen is perfect for me. I'm slowly becoming the monolith though! The mini tablets will be taking over soon.

You will have plenty of company.....

Originally Posted by AQ_OC

You will have plenty of company.....

I sure will. And, my word minority got switched to monolith. They mush have thought I was talking about 2001 A Space Odyssey.

I knew this would happen before the iPad 1 was released.

All of the ipad jokes. All of the posters on many forums,tv,news,etc. said the iPad would fail back then.
People said it wouldn't make it in business use,schools,ereader,daily use,etc.

When I travel you don't even have to take your iPad out of your carryon bag at airport security and customs.
Laptops and notebooks you have to take out of bag and sometimes turn them on at security and customs.

The iPad is wonderful.