By Eric Lai
Computerworld (US)
February 3, 2010

FRAMINGHAM - Like a rising tide lifting all boats, Apple Inc.’s high-profile iPad will help sales of all media tablets to grow nearly 15-fold over the next five years, ABI Research Inc. predicted on Tuesday.

ABI forecast that four million media tablets such as the iPad and Google Inc.’s coming Chrome OS-based tablet, will ship this year. That number is expected to grow to 57 million in 2015.

ABI defines media tablets as touch-screen PCs with screens of between five and 11 inches in size, Wi-Fi connectivity and video and gaming capabilities. That means a Kindle-type e-reader would not be included in ABI’s definition, which envisions tablets that serve as a full-fledged entertainment device, said analyst Jeff Orr.

“Apple’s iPad is not the first media tablet,” Orr said in a statement, pointing to other interesting models launched at CES such as Lenovo’s IdeaPad U1 hybrid tablet/laptop , HP’s coming Windows 7 slate and even the Android-based Archos 5. “But it does help define this new device category.”

Without a keyboard, media tablets aren’t great for creating content. As tweeners in both features and size, media tablets will remain a luxury item, not a must-have, compared to smartphones or even netbooks.

“A tablet will not replace a laptop, netbook or mobile phone, but will remain an additional premium or luxury product for wealthy industrialized markets for at least several years,” Orr said.

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