Panasonic eyes 50% global share in ruggedised tablets by 2015

Japanese electronics giant Panasonic expects to capture 50 per cent of the global 'ruggedised' tablet market by 2015 fiscal with its Toughbook range helped by increased focus on logistics, retail and manufacturing sectors.
Besides the enterprise markets in developed regions like the US and Europe, the USD 73.27 billion-turnover company is also concentrating on emerging markets including India.
"We expect to capture 50 per cent of the global market in ruggedised tablets by 2015 fiscal on the back increased focus on sectors like logistics, retail and manufacturing," Panasonic Corporation Head IT Products Business Division Hide Harada told reporters here.
The company, which at present holds 22 per cent market globally in ruggedised tablets, also expects to sell about 1 million units of its Toughbook tablet by 2014 fiscal, he added.

The company follows April-March as the fiscal year.
Ruggedised tablets is an emerging market globally, with more growth at present coming from developed countries. Rise in spending in developing countries on mission critical sectors like defence, infra, oil and gas, the segment's demand in such regions is also expected to increase.

A 'ruggedised' device is specifically designed to operate reliably in harsh usage environments and conditions.
Panasonic's Toughbook targets B2B and focuses on mission critical sectors.
Explaining the company's focus, Panasonic (IT Products Business Unit) Global Marketing Team Manager Tatsuya Sekiguchi said demand for such products will rise as there is growth in mobile workforce and the need to stay connected at all times even in tough outdoor conditions.

According to research firm IDC, the world's mobile worker population will reach 1.3 billion, representing 37.2 per cent of the total workforce by 2015.
"We are already a market leader globally in ruggedised PCs with 60 per cent market share and our next plan is to do the same in tablets," he added.
Worldwide, about 800,000 ruggedised tablets are sold annually.
The company expects a healthy growth in ruggedised tablet market with rising demand in the enterprise sector.
VDC Research, a M2M market intelligence and advisory firm for technology suppliers and engineering, has said that the market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 21 per cent.