The Connected Convergent Devices (CCDs) market will claim a global installed base of over 400 million units by 2014, according to a recent study from Strategy Analytics (http://www.strategyanalytics.com).
The report, “Connected Convergent Devices: The New Battleground,” envisions CCDs filling the gap between smartphones and netbooks — a gap that’s ripe for growth. The firm estimates the value of the CCD market will exceed $50 billion in 2014. Some cannibalization is inevitable, according to the report, particularly among the tablets, netbooks, eBook readers and Mobile Internet devices (MIDs) categories.
“All categories have the potential to be very disruptive,” says Peter King, director of the Connected Home Device service at Strategy Analytics. “However, all have their place in the market, and as casual computing develops, new products such as the tablet can be additive to the market as well as cannibalistic.”
CE, Mobile and computer companies are vying for the consumer wallet with a variety of Connected Convergent Devices (CCDs), including tablets, netbooks, smartbooks, eBook readers and MIDs.
“We have recently witnessed price erosion and product withdrawals in the eBook reader market, and the netbook market growth has slowed down since the introduction of the Apple iPad,” adds King. “As rival tablets hit the market by year-end, many driven by Google’s Android, we will see even more competition in this dynamic new market segment.”