Observing the Intel mobile platform's development in the non-Android tablet market, Digitimes Research expects Windows tablets to replace Android tablets and become Intel's new focus. Intel's Education Tablet, which achieved success in the education sector in 2014, is also expected to benefit the CPU giant's mobile processor shipments in 2015.
The reasons that Windows tablets will become the new growth driver for Intel's mobile processors in 2015, replacing Android tablets, are because Android tablets are seeing weakening demand, the 2-in-1 form factor has become a new trend for notebook products, Windows 10's interface for tablets will become more complete, and Intel's subsidies for Android mobile devices are gradually shifting to smartphones, Digitimes Research analyzed.
Brand vendors and white-box players are both treating 10-inch 2-in-1 devices as their primary shipment focus for 2015, while the Surface Pro 3's strong sales are expected to help Microsoft and brand vendors grow in confidence to release more high-end 2-in-1 products with above 10.8-inch displays.
Sub-9-inch tablet products can only rely on white-box players in China, a market that Google has almost no influence in, for shipments, using dual-operating system (OS) designs to attract demand.