The tablet, introduced to the market to much fanfare a decade ago, has remained largely a niche device for verticals such as healthcare. Retailers back then put it down to a lack of consumer awareness, but 10 years on, the device segment has not moved on to mainstream adoption.
Brand put it down in part to the tablet's form factor. "Users typically want 'passive' computing environments when they're seriously working. That means their effort should be focused on the work, not the machine," he said, explaining that tablet PCs, touted as "arm-helds", are meant to be cradled in one's arms like a clipboard.
"This position does not suit work styles of concentrated effort, especially for long periods of time," he said.
For more on this story, read "Analyst: Tablet will still remain niche" on ZDNet Asia.
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