9. The tablet revolution is here
The Apple iPad was introduced in 2010 and it was met by skepticism by many, including some of the IntoMobile staff. A few months later and it’s quite clear that the iPad has ignited a tablet revolution that will soon be filled with multiple competitors.
To be clear, this is still a minuscule market compared to traditional computers or smartphones as Gartner predicts there will be 19.5 million tablets sold this year with Apple taking the lion’s share of the market. That’s not much of a surprise, as it will only really be facing one credible competitor: the Samsung Galaxy Tab on all four major carriers.
Still, the iPad may just be the beginning of a new movement in connected devices. RIM introduced the BlackBerry Playbook, an enterprise-friendly tablet aimed at replacing some laptops in the corporate space. Palm is readying its own webOS-powered PalmPad for an early 2011 release and we’re sure to see a glut of Android tablets from the likes of HTC, Motorola and more.
Next year is only going to bring multiple drool-worthy hardware and you can check out our list of the most anticipated tablets to get a sense of what we can look forward to.