The Brazilian market for tablets was warm during the first quarter of 2012. According to IDC, 370,000 tablet units were sold in this period. The advisory firm predicts that by the end of this year, 2.5 million tablets will be sold, which means a growth of more than 200% from the 800,000 units sold in 2011. In 2013, sales are expected to reach about 4 million units.
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Of the total number of devices sold in the first three months of 2012, 61% had the Android operating system. At the beginning of last year, Android had a 43% market share. According to Attila Belavary, a market analyst at IDC Brazil, the increase was boosted by attractive prices below $482 (R$1,000), which were driven by the entrance of Chinese-made devices into the market. Belavary noted, however, that low-cost, Chinese-made devices can frustrate some users since the devices have limited technical specifications.
Of the total 370,000 tablets, 12% were sold to corporate and government organizations. The Brazilian government is planning to use tablets in schools, a project which could require about 900,000 tablets by late 2012 and early 2013.
The launch of Apple’s iPad has helped boost corporate tablet usage. A Brocade (NASDAQ: BRCD) survey with 120 IT decision-makers noted that the latest iPad and other mobile devices have had a direct impact on network traffic and the BYOD trend. As a consequence, enterprises have been increasing their investment in expanding network capacity. Brocade reported that 65% of survey respondents said they have invested in campus LANs since 2009 to address tablet and smartphone usage.
The IDC study shows that Brazilian growth rates are more accelerated than those of similar markets. In 2011, one tablet was sold for every ten laptops. By the end of 2016, IDC predicts that one tablet will be sold for every three laptops.
Last year, ComScore posted a report noting that non-computer devices (including mobile phones, tablets and other connected devices) accounted for an average of 2.6% of all Web browsing activity across ten Latin American markets.
The report also found that Apple’s iOS dominated in driving non-computer traffic to the Web among select Latin American countries. Apple’s mobile operating system accounted for the highest percentage of non-computer traffic in Colombia (64.3%); followed by Puerto Rico (63.7%); Brazil (60.6%); Chile (60.2%); and Mexico (60%).
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