‘Phablet’ shipments set to reach 120 million

Shipments of ‘phablet’ devices – smartphones with large displays of 5.6 inches or more – are due to reach more than 120 million units by 2018, according to new stats by Juniper Research.

Juniper claims that shipments of the devices, which are designed to bridge the gap between smartphones and tablets, will climb from an estimated 20 million in 2013 and will find “particularly receptive markets” in East Asia – especially among mobile gamers in South Korea and content streamers in China.

“The Phablet market could become a growth area for established smartphone vendors, allowing them to build flagship phablet models targeting tech heavy demographics,” said Juniper.

The research firm added that the market “will likely grow from both ends of the price spectrum with established global brands predicated to focus on higher price points allowing local players to gain a foothold in the lower end.”

Juniper’s Tablets, Phablets, Hybrids & eReaders: Market Strategies & Forecasts 2014-2018 report tips the Phablet OS market to be dominated by Android and Windows phones, driven by Samsung’s Note series and Nokia’s Lumia range.