CEA sees tablets driving tech revenue up 5.6pc

Apple's iPad and the rest of the tablet market will boost the whole home technology industry 60 percent further than it would have grown otherwise, the Consumer Electronics Association estimated on Monday. After originally predicting a 3.5 percent year-over-year climb in 2011, the CEA now believed tablets would push the growth to 5.6 percent, to $190 billion. The spike would be $4 billion more than thought and would see more than seven percent, or $14 billion, of the industry's revenue come from tablets alone.

Sales of tablets were expected to jump 157 percent; the CEA predicted an unusually low 26.5 million shipped where most have called for significantly more. Apple is due to provide its spring results on Tuesday and is rumored to have doubled its shipments, which at over 13 million in winter and spring would give it half the entire year's shipments with six months left.

The most important category would be the smartphone, the CEA said, which could jump 25 percent to $23 billion. E-readers like the Kindle and Nook should double to 16.5 million units and $1.8 billion in revenue.

Analysts at the technology advocacy group weighed in on TVs and expected them as a whole to sink in the year. About 88 percent of US homes had a digital set, the CEA said. However, 3D and Internet-aware sets would go up as the technology became cheap and ubiquitous enough to make up more sales. Cameras, home audio, and in-car tech were poised to see the most gains, with cars benefiting from a double-digit spike as more sought to wire up their media devices and get online.

By Electronista Staff