Tablet sales picking up in Latin markets, IDC says

Research firm IDC predicts huge gains for mobile technology in Latin American markets, as businesses and consumers in this region are demonstrating a demand for advanced smartphones and tablet computers reflective of other areas in the world.

Latin news provider Business News Americas reports that IDC is estimating 43 percent growth for the Chilean smartphone market in 2012 over 2011. Tablet computer sales, meanwhile, will see a 70 percent uptick compared to last year.

Unlike in the United States, where the Apple® iPad® has dominated the tablet market, Latin markets are gravitating toward devices based on Google's Android™ operating system. According to IDC, Android captured the largest market share among the 100,000 tablets sold in Chile in 2011.

Several analysts have asserted that the rise of tablet computers will spell the end of the PC era, with the mobile devices cannibalizing the sales of desktop and laptop PCs. However, according to Business News Americas, IDC believes tablets will play a more complementary role to traditional computers in Latin nations.

IDC also predicts huge growth for the tablet market on a global scale. In a March 2012 report, the research firm forecasts that 106.1 million units will ship this year worldwide, a sizable increase from its previous estimate of 87.7 million units.