Tablet shipments into US education sector expanded by 103 percent in 2012

USA: While personal computers are facing weak demand and reduced budgets in the US education sector, tablets are experiencing exceptionally strong interest among education stakeholders, from school managers, teachers, and governments, to parents and students.

New International Data Corp. (IDC) research shows that shipments of client devices (notebooks, desktops and tablets) to the US education sector grew 15.3 percent year over year in 2012 with volume nearing 8.5 million units. IDC estimates the value of these shipments at $5 billion.

Much of this growth can be attributed to tablet shipments, which grew 103 percent year over year in 2012. Strong demand for these devices increased the share of tablets in the education client device market from 19.4 percent in 2011 to more than 35 percent in 2012, and that momentum will continue as the 2013 back-to-school season approaches.

The impetus to go digital in the education sector can be found among virtually all US education institutions as well as around the world. Government mandates from all levels to digitize education, the relatively low cost of tablets, and a proliferation of funding sources are providing an enormous push to tablet adoption, effectively bringing the concept of one device per student closer to reality.