Ultrabooks to grow faster than tablets

Tablets such as the Apple iPad have a fight on their hands to remain the darlings of portable devices, if the latest market predictions from Juniper Research prove true.

Shipments of ultra portables will grow three times as fast as tablets in the next five years, the analyst firm has claimed. That said, the tablet market will maintain the upper hand in terms of numbers for now.

Some 253 million tablets will be shipped in 2016, overshadowing the 178 million Ultrabooks likely to be shifted in the same year, according to Juniper.

While Intel's control of the brand ensures that Ultrabooks stand out from traditional notebooks, vendors face a balancing act in terms of product strategy. Meeting Intel's specification secures brand status and funding, but the step-change from notebooks means many of today's Ultrabooks are too expensive for many consumers.

The disconnect between growth rates and actual volumes, says Juniper, lies largely in the fact that many manufacturers have responded to the iPad with competing products, but have been slower to respond to the arrival of the MacBook Air.

Microsoft's next operating system, Windows 8, will help drive Ultrabook adoption, thanks to the ability to extend battery life and other enhancements.

Intel appears to be the main contender for Apple's throne, but still faces an uphill struggle to challenge Apple's dominance, according to Juniper Research analyst Daniel Ashdown.

"While Intel's control of the brand ensures that Ultrabooks stand out from traditional notebooks, vendors face a balancing act in terms of product strategy," he said.

"Meeting Intel's specification secures brand status and funding, but the step-change from notebooks means many of today's Ultrabooks are too expensive for many consumers."