Global sales of mobile computing devices in K12 education exceeded 4.4 million units in Q4, with full year performance for 2012 increasing by 29% to reach 15.6 million, according to the latest research from Futuresource Consulting. This figure includes notebooks, netbooks and table devices.
“This growth is driven by 1:1 project rollouts – where each child has their own device – as well as the increased popularity of tablet PCs. The tablet PC has proved to be the main catalyst for market expansion, with the popularity of the form factor in the consumer market having a knock-on effect and encouraging widescale adoption by schools”, says David Millar, Senior Market Analyst, Futuresource Consulting.
Interest in tablets has been raised further with a number of new device launches, including the iPad Mini, Google Nexus, Kindle Fire HD and Microsoft Surface, as well as the host of Windows 8 products hitting the market in late 2012 and early 2013. This growing product portfolio offers schools an even wider choice and the potential to accelerate the adoption of tablets within education. At a global level, Futuresource expects tablet volumes to schools to surpass netbooks in 2013.
The US remains at the forefront of tablets in education, representing almost one quarter of global sales, with this market witnessing huge uptake of the iPad across many education districts. iPad sales in the US reached over triple the amount of netbook volumes for 2012, demonstrating the increasing and ever-changing demand.
The rollout of many major 1:1 tablet projects in 2012 and 2013 is also a significant driver for overall market growth, with Thailand and Brazil being the most notable examples, as well as the South Korean initiative coming on stream in 2013. India is also poised for dramatic expansion in tablet demand, and China also holds potential for strong growth.
Over the next five years Futuresource forecasts show that the market will grow to exceed 50 million units. Currently it is estimated that globally only 3% of all teachers and students have access to a mobile computer (excluding personal ownership), which is a clear indicator of the future potential of this market.
With the fast increasing digitisation of education and this substantial growth forecast in mobile computing device uptake, this opens up revenue streams for manufacturers and content owners alike.
