The Tablet PC market is set for steady growth between now and the end of the decade, research firm In-Stat said Wednesday.
However, the biggest hurdle to this growth could come from the Tablet PC's main backer, Microsoft Corp., if that company decides it is serious in promoting a new lower-priced, consumer-oriented product category, In-Stat said.
The Tablet PC market is due to grow from US$1.2 billion in 2004 to $5.4 billion in 2009, with the U.S. remaining the biggest market followed by Europe then Asia, according to Brian O'Rourke, a senior analyst at the company. In-Stat classifies Tablet PCs as devices that run the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system.
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