# 2015: The year tablets finally grew up (HT Tech) > Tablets aren’t going to replace laptops any time soon -- but 2015 was the year that they really started blurring the line. # 2015: The year tablets finally grew up ## Tablets aren’t going to replace laptops any time soon -- but 2015 was the year that they really started blurring the line. Dec 26 2015, 17:48 IST ![Follow on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/follow-us-facebook.png) ![Follow on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/follow-us-facebook-hover.png) ![Share](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Share.png) ![Share](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Shareclicked.png) ![Share on WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/whatsapp.png) ![Share on WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/whatsapp-hover.png) ![Share on Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/twitter.png) ![Share on Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/twitter-hover.png) ![Share on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/facebook.png) ![Share on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/facebook-hover.png) ![Bookmark](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Bookmark.png) ![Bookmarked](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Bookmarked.png) ![image caption](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/rf/image_size_800x600/HT/p2/2015/12/26/Pictures/_b67014d0-abca-11e5-a7bd-0a525bed8fcc.jpg) Microsoft’s Surface line of hybrid tablets didn’t take off in the beginning, but by the 4th version (above), Microsoft had a winner on its hands. (Microsoft) ![Author Photo](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/HTTech-new-circle-logo.png) ### By SILADITYA RAY The rise of the tablet has been an interesting story, the iPad when it came out was seen as a solid yet unessential device, it found itself in that valley between laptops and smartphones. But that did not stop it from being a massive success and carving out a new segment in the personal electronics market. But last year saw a dramatic reversal of fortunes when iPad sales slumped by 12.7% and overall tablet growth level dropped 52.3%. Every tablet manufacturer has had to contend with the longer than expected product cycle times for consumers to replace their existing tablets. Many thought this would be on a yearly basis, akin to the smartphone. Instead it has more accurately reflected the 2-4 year cycle of PC and laptop replacement. Something had to be done, tablets had to evolve or they would go the way of netbooks and PDAs (remember those). Apple's iPad Pro, Microsoft's Surface Pro 4, Surface Tab and Google's Pixel C all the biggest tablet releases this year have one thing in common; they are all productivity focused hybrids. They are the forerunners of a shift in the tablet market that will most likely define the device category in the next few years. Tablets are growing up, and they aren't content to just be passive bystanders to the digital content that are being created by the droves. Also read click here. Apple's iPad Pro, which was announced in September, is a productivity-focused hybrid, unlike iPads of the past, which focused on consumption of content. (Apple) ![image caption](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-245-140.png) Apple's iPad Pro, which was announced in September, is a productivity-focused hybrid, unlike iPads of the past, which focused on consumption of content. (Apple) The tablets that followed the original iPad threw away all peripherals and input methods other than touch. The space and weight savings made the devices perfect for what Apple and later on everyone else marketed the tablet for: watching videos, reading books, playing games, browsing the Web, checking Facebook, and maybe the occasional email or two. They were, almost literally, larger smartphones that were simply better at displaying content on a big screen. Back then, the use case was understandable and perfect. Today, however, users have grown to expect more from their mobile devices, instigating a shift in how we use and see these devices and, in turn, how these devices are designed. Thanks to innumerable apps as well as the surge of cloud services, mobile users have also beyond mere replying to e-mails and browsing the Web on tablets to more serious business. In a bizarre move, it was Microsoft, a company plagued by years of boring/safe products that first took a stab at this with the original Surface Pro but was held back by the terror that came to be known as Windows 8. Though derided and despised in the beginning, the Surface would find some vindication in the iPad Pro. And with Google's Pixel C now in the arena as well, it seems that the next tablet revolution is almost ready to take flight. Almost. Google's Pixel-C hybrid is Google's version of a productivity-focused device that runs Android. (Google) ![image caption](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-245-140.png) Google's Pixel-C hybrid is Google's version of a productivity-focused device that runs Android. (Google) Making the software work on a hybrid remains the biggest challenge as keyboard/mouse and touch inputs require fundamentally different approaches. All three major operating systems (Windows, iOS and Android) have their own sad tale to tell, and they all have some work to do to make the transition finally happen. Windows, to some extent, is in the best position when it comes to productivity. It has in its arsenal desktop-level software. Its problem, however, comes from the other side of the fence. To say that its tablet-oriented, touch-based software is wanting would be an understatement, and we have yet to see the fulfillment of the Windows 10 Universal App Platform promise. iOS, like Android, comes from that other side. These mobile platforms are built with touch, not keyboard or even stylus, in mind. They were built with smaller screens in mind too. iOS 9 was, however, partially redesigned for the iPad Pro, which meant split window multi-tasking at the very best. Most apps, however, still live in an iOS 8 and smaller iPad world, and it would take time before the size of the Pro model would sink in. Android, on the other hand, is currently a mess. It, too, was designed for single-screen touch-based interaction, but it is also more forgiving. Samsung, LG, Xiaomi and a plethora of third party apps and ROMs have proven that the platform is actually capable of multiple windows. Android Marshmallow actually officially has split window functionality hidden as an experimental feature. It is unfortunate that Google didn't seize the opportunity to showcase that in the Pixel C. Android 6.0 also finally got official support for Bluetooth pressure sensitive stylus input. No surprise that Google didn't capitalize on that in the Pixel C either. The biggest stumbling block though remains the closed marketplace ecosystem for these systems. Unlike PCs where developers can offer free trials for productivity suites and push regular updates, the closed nature of the iOS App Store and to an extent the Google Play store can be a massive turn off. This new trend in tablets couldn't have come at a better time, when sales are down and people are asking what role the device would serve with today's growing smartphone sizes and thinning laptops. They aren't going to replace those laptops, at least not yet, but they are starting to blur the lines indeed. What's more, they are clearly moving away from the initial use case set out by the iPad and Android tablet pioneers. And the users are the very ones pushing this change. Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on Whatsapp channel,Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel. ### You may be interested in Mobiles Tablets Laptops 26 Dec, 13:32 IST 71,589,392,686,124 NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS ![View all](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/view-all-icon.png) ## Tips & Tricks ![Ghibli-style art](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### How to turn your photos into Ghibli-style art with ChatGPT for free: Step-by-step guide ![How to create an invitation using iPhone’s new Apple Invites app- Step-by-step guide](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### How to create an invitation using iPhone’s new Apple Invites app- Step-by-step guide ![Apple TV app arrives on Android phones and tablets: What you get and how to install it](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Apple TV app arrives on Android phones and tablets: What you get and how to install it ![Vodafone Idea OTT plans](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Vodafone Idea users can now stream 17 OTT apps with one subscription: Here's how ![Android data transfer methods](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### How to transfer data from one Android to another using Google backup, USB-C cable, and more ## Editor’s Pick ![iPhone 16e launched with A18 chip, Apple AI—bringing flagship power on a budget: Check specs, price](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### iPhone 16e launched in India: All details about the new budget mobile from Apple ![DeepSeek was founded in China with only a fraction of the budget of the top AI companies in the US.](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### DeepSeek AI: How it works, who’s behind it, how it’s different from ChatGPT, and its big US market impact explained ![iPhone 17 Air likely to get this feature that iPhone 17 Pro models may miss out on](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### iPhone 17 Air likely to get this feature that iPhone 17 Pro models may miss out on ![Google Whisk AI explained: How remixing works, availability, and how it differs from Gemini](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Google Whisk AI explained: How remixing works, availability, and how it differs from Gemini ![iOS 18.4 beta arriving soon: Know why it is the biggest iPhone update](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### iOS 18.4 beta arriving soon: Know why it is the biggest iPhone update ## Trending Stories ![Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order ![Infinix Note 50s 5G+](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Infinix Note 50s 5G+ set to launch in India with 64MP camera and MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC ![Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more ![Apple Intelligence AI training](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Apple plans to train AI using your on-device data without accessing personal content or emails: Report ![CMF Buds 2](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### CMF Buds 2 key features and price revealed ahead of April 28 launch: Details inside keep up with tech ![Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-facebook.png) ![Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-twitter.png) ![WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-whatsApp.png) ![Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-facebook.png) ## Gaming ![Check out these five gaming monitors under ₹20,000,](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Top 5 gaming monitors under ₹20000 you should consider ![gaming consoles](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Grab gaming consoles at discounted rates during Amazon Great Indian Festival: Up to 72% off ![Pokémon GO Wild Area 2025](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Pokémon GO Wild Area 2025 to bring Grimmsnarl family, Shiny Hatenna, and global challenges ![Shade Silver](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Shade Silver free on Steam for a limited time: Here’s how to get it ![Call of duty](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 skips Switch 2 at launch, release date and price leak ![View all](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/view-all-icon.png) ## Trending News ### Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order ![Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### Infinix Note 50s 5G+ set to launch in India with 64MP camera and MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC ![Infinix Note 50s 5G+](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more ![Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### Apple plans to train AI using your on-device data without accessing personal content or emails: Report ![Apple Intelligence AI training](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### CMF Buds 2 key features and price revealed ahead of April 28 launch: Details inside ![CMF Buds 2](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ## Trending Gadgets Mobiles Laptops Tablets ![HT Tech](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/HT_tech-new.gif) - https://tech.hindustantimes.com/videos/2015-the-year-tablets-finally-grew-up-story-a5nDozlCNDgNEaNRf2VMVM.html