Tablet processors dominated by ARM, study says

Intel's x86 microprocessors have been king of the PC market for some time, but the arrival of the tablet computer has shaken things up, as a study from market research firm DisplaySearch shows ARM processors will dominate the tablet space for the foreseeable future.

According to the report, shipments of tablet computers based on the ARM architecture are expected to reach 59.9 million units in 2011, accounting for nearly the entire market. In contrast, x86 processors won't see significant growth until 2013.

DisplaySearch estimates that nearly 330 million tablets will ship by 2017, up from fewer than 60 million in 2011, indicating room for growth for both architectures.

"The tablet PC and notebook PC markets are on a collision course as both product categories continue to evolve and improve on their respective weaknesses," says DisplaySearch senior analyst Richard Shim. "As such, each product category will influence the other over time. Still, the incumbent platforms have inherent advantages in the early years."

Tablets have had a significant influence on the operating system market as well. As of yet, Microsoft's PC-dominant Windows® hasn't found a permanent home in tablets, but given the relative youth of the market, experts believe that big changes may be on the horizon.