Average tablet to cost under $100 by 2017?

A new report by NPD DisplaySearch claims half of tablets will cost fewer than $100 by 2017. The firm also lowered its tablet PC shipment forecast for the first time since 2011. Shipments of tablet are anticipated to hit 255 million units this year, accounting for almost 60% of the mobile PC market. Traditional laptops make up another 36 percent, while ultra-slim PCs account for the other 4 percent.

According to the NPD, tablet PC shipments are still expected to be up 30% year-over-year, but projections between 2013 and 2017 are now being scaled back by roughly 9% every year. The main factor in the forecast reduction is white-box tablet PC production in China, which is being pulled back following overly aggressive build plans that out-paced demand.

Despite the current situation in China, much of the future growth for tablet PC shipments will come from the China and Asia Pacific regions. These regions will make up nearly 50% of the worldwide tablet PC segment by 2015, increasing to nearly 60% by 2017. In comparison, North America and EMEA, which combined will make up 50% of the market in 2013, will fall to 36% in 2017.

Source: X-bit Labs