Atablet computer, commonly shortened totablet, is amobile device, typically with amobile operating system andtouchscreen display processingcircuitry, and arechargeable battery in a single, thin and flat package. Tablets, being computers, have similar capabilities, but lack someinput/output (I/O) abilities that others have. Modern tablets largely resemble modernsmartphones, the only differences being that tablets are relatively larger than smartphones, with screens 7 inches (18 cm) or larger, measured diagonally,[1][2][3][4] and may not support access to acellular network. Unlikelaptops (which have traditionally run off operating systems usually designed for desktops), tablets usually run mobile operating systems, alongside smartphones.
The touchscreen display is operated bygestures executed by finger ordigital pen (stylus), instead of themouse,touchpad, andkeyboard of larger computers. Portable computers can be classified according to the presence and appearance of physical keyboards. Two species of tablet, theslate andbooklet, do not have physical keyboards and usually accept text and other input by use of avirtual keyboard shown on their touchscreen displays. To compensate for their lack of a physical keyboard, most tablets can connect to independent physical keyboards byBluetooth orUSB;2-in-1 PCs have keyboards, distinct from tablets.
The form of the tablet was conceptualized in the middle of the 20th century (Stanley Kubrick depicted fictional tablets in the 1968 science fiction film2001: A Space Odyssey) and prototyped and developed in the last two decades of that century. In 2010,Apple released theiPad, the first mass-market tablet to achieve widespread popularity.[5] Thereafter, tablets rapidly rose in ubiquity and soon became a large product category used for personal, educational and workplace applications.[6] Popular uses for a tablet PC include viewing presentations, video-conferencing, reading e-books, watching movies, sharing photos and more.[7] As of 2021 there are 1.28 billion tablet users worldwide according to data provided byStatista,[8] while Apple holds the largest manufacturer market share followed bySamsung andLenovo.[9]
The tablet computer and its associated operating system began with the development ofpen computing.[10] Electrical devices withdata input and output on a flatinformation display existed as early as 1888 with thetelautograph,[11] which used a sheet of paper as display and a pen attached toelectromechanicalactuators. Throughout the 20th century devices with these characteristics have been imagined and created whether asblueprints,prototypes, orcommercial products. In addition to many academic and research systems, several companies released commercial products in the 1980s, with various input/output types tried out.
Tablet computers appeared in a number of works of science fiction in the second half of the 20th century; all helped to promote and disseminate the concept to a wider audience.[12] Examples include:
The science fiction TV seriesStar Trek: The Next Generation featured tablet computers which were designated asPADDs, notable for (as with most computers in the show) using a touchscreen interface, both with and without a stylus (1987)[15]
Further, real-life projects either proposed or created tablet computers, such as:
In 1968, computer scientistAlan Kay envisioned a KiddiComp;[17][18] he developed and described the concept as aDynabook in his proposal,A personal computer for children of all ages (1972),[19] which outlines functionality similar to that supplied via a laptop computer, or (in some of its other incarnations) a tablet or slate computer, with the exception of near eternal battery life. Thetarget audience was children.
In 1979, the idea of atouchscreen tablet that could detect an external force applied to one point on the screen was patented in Japan by a team atHitachi consisting of Masao Hotta, Yoshikazu Miyamoto, Norio Yokozawa and Yoshimitsu Oshima, who later received a US patent for their idea.[20]
In 1994, theEuropean Union initiated theNewsPad project, inspired by Clarke and Kubrick's fictional work.[22]Acorn Computers developed and delivered anARM-based touch screen tablet computer for this program, branding it the "NewsPad"; the project ended in 1997.[23]
During the November 2000 COMDEX,Microsoft used the termTablet PC to describe a prototype handheld device they were demonstrating.[24][25][26]
Following earlier tablet computer products such as thePencept PenPad,[29][30] theLinus Write-Top,[31][32] and the CIC Handwriter,[33] in September 1989,Grid Systems released the first commercially successful tablet computer, theGridPad.[34][35] All four products were based on extended versions of theMS-DOS operating system. In 1992, IBM announced (in April) and shipped to developers (in October) theThinkPad 700T (2521), which ran theGO Corporation'sPenPoint OS. Also based on PenPoint wasAT&T'sEO Personal Communicator from 1993, which ran on AT&T's own hardware, including their ownAT&T Hobbit CPU. Apple Computer launched theApple Newton personal digital assistant in 1993. It used Apple's own newNewton OS, initially running on hardware manufactured by Motorola and incorporating anARM CPU, that Apple had specifically co-developed withAcorn Computers. The operating system and platform design were later licensed toSharp andDigital Ocean, who went on to manufacture their own variants.
Pen computing was highly hyped by the media during the early 1990s.Microsoft, the dominant PC software vendor, releasedWindows for Pen Computing in 1992 to compete against PenPoint OS. The company launched the WinPad project, working together with OEMs such asCompaq, to create a small device with aWindows-like operating system and handwriting recognition. However, the project was abandoned two years later; insteadWindows CE was released in the form of "Handheld PCs" in 1996.[36] That year,Palm, Inc. released the first of thePalm OS basedPalmPilot touch and stylus based PDA, the touch based devices initially incorporating aMotorola Dragonball (68000) CPU. Also in 1996 Fujitsu released the Stylistic 1000 tablet format PC, running MicrosoftWindows 95, on a 100 MHz AMD486 DX4 CPU, with 8 MB RAM offering stylus input, with the option of connecting a conventional Keyboard and mouse. Intel announced aStrongARM[37] processor-based touchscreen tablet computer in 1999, under the name WebPAD. It was later re-branded as the "Intel Web Tablet".[38] In 2000, Norwegian company Screen Media AS and the German company Dosch & Amand Gmbh released the "FreePad".[39] It was based on Linux and used theOpera browser.Internet access was provided byDECT DMAP, only available in Europe and provided up to 10 Mbit/s. The device had 16 MB storage, 32 MB of RAM and x86 compatible 166 MHz "Geode"-Microcontroller byNational Semiconductor.[40] The screen was 10.4" or 12.1" and was touch sensitive. It had slots for SIM cards to enable support of television set-up box. FreePad were sold in Norway and the Middle East; but the company was dissolved in 2003.Sony released its Airboard tablet in Japan in late 2000 with full wireless Internet capabilities.[41][42]
In the late 1990s, Microsoft launched theHandheld PC platform using their Windows CE operating system; while most devices were not tablets, a few touch enabled tablets were released on the platform such as theFujitsu PenCentra 130 orSiemens'sSIMpad.[43][44] Microsoft took a more significant approach to tablets in 2002 as it attempted to define theMicrosoft Tablet PC[45] as a mobile computer for field work in business,[46] though their devices failed, mainly due to pricing andusability decisions that limited them to their original purpose – such as the existing devices being too heavy to be held with one hand for extended periods, and having legacy applications created for desktop interfaces and not well adapted to the slate format.[47]
Nokia had plans for an Internet tablet since before 2000. An early model was test manufactured in 2001, the Nokia M510, which was running onEPOC and featuring anOpera browser, speakers and a 10-inch 800×600 screen, but it was not released because of fears that the market was not ready for it.[48] Nokia entered the tablet space in May 2005 with theNokia 770 runningMaemo, a Debian-based Linux distribution custom-made for theirInternet tablet line. Theuser interface andapplication framework layer, namedHildon, was an early instance of asoftware platform for generic computing in a tablet device intended for internet consumption.[49] But Nokia did not commit to it as their only platform for their future mobile devices and the project competed against other in-house platforms and later replaced it with theSeries 60.[50] Nokia used the terminternet tablet to refer to a portableinformation appliance that focused on Internet use and media consumption, in the range between apersonal digital assistant (PDA) and anUltra-Mobile PC (UMPC). They made two mobile phones, the N900 that runs Maemo, and N9 that run Meego.[51]
Before the release of iPad, Axiotron introduced[52] an aftermarket, heavily modified AppleMacBook calledModbook, aMac OS X-based tablet computer. The Modbook uses Apple'sInkwell for handwriting and gesture recognition, and uses digitization hardware fromWacom. To get Mac OS X to talk to the digitizer on the integrated tablet, the Modbook was supplied with a third-party driver.[53]
Following the launch of theUltra-mobile PC, Intel began theMobile Internet Device initiative, which took the same hardware and combined it with a tabletized Linux configuration. Intel codeveloped the lightweightMoblin (mobile Linux) operating system following the successful launch of the Atom CPU series on netbooks. In 2010, Nokia andIntel combined the Maemo and Moblin projects to form MeeGo, a Linux-based operating system supports netbooks and tablets. The first tablet using MeeGo was theNeofonieWeTab launched September 2010 in Germany. The WeTab used an extended version of the MeeGo operating system called WeTab OS. WeTab OS adds runtimes for Android andAdobe AIR and provides a proprietary user interface optimized for the WeTab device. On September 27, 2011, theLinux Foundation announced that MeeGo would be replaced in 2012 byTizen.[54]
Steve Jobs introducing theiPad in San Francisco on January 27, 2010
Android was the first of the 2000s-era dominating platforms for tablet computers to reach the market. In 2008, the first plans for Android-based tablets appeared. The first products were released in 2009. Among them was the Archos 5, a pocket-sized model with a 5-inchtouchscreen, that was first released with a proprietary operating system and later (in 2009) released with Android 1.4. The Camangi WebStation was released in Q2 2009. The firstLTEAndroid tablet appeared late 2009 and was made by ICD forVerizon. This unit was called the Ultra, but a version called Vega was released around the same time. Ultra had a 7-inch display while Vega's was 15 inches. Many more products followed in 2010. Several manufacturers waited forAndroid Honeycomb, specifically adapted for use with tablets, which debuted in February 2011.
Apple is often credited for defining a new class of consumer device with theiPad,[55] which shaped the commercial market for tablets in the following years,[56] and was the most successful tablet at the time of its release. iPads and competing devices were tested by the U.S. military in 2011[57] and cleared for secure use in 2013.[58] Its debut in 2010 pushed tablets into the mainstream.[59][60]Samsung'sGalaxy Tab and others followed, continuing the trends towards the features listed above. In March 2012,PC Magazine reported that 31% of U.S. Internet users owned a tablet, used mainly for viewing published content such as video and news.[61] The top-selling line of devices was Apple's iPad with 100 million sold between its release in April 2010 and mid-October 2012,[62] but iPadmarket share (number of units) dropped to 36% in 2013 withAndroid tablets climbing to 62%. Android tablet sales volume was 121 million devices, plus 52 million, between 2012 and 2013 respectively.[63] Individual brands of Android operating system devices or compatibles follow iPad with Amazon'sKindle Fire with 7 million, and Barnes & Noble'sNook with 5 million.[64][65][66]
TheBlackBerry PlayBook was announced in September 2010 that ran theBlackBerry Tablet OS.[67] The BlackBerry PlayBook was officially released to US and Canadian consumers on April 19, 2011.Hewlett-Packard announced that theTouchPad, runningWebOS 3.0 on a 1.2 GHzQualcomm Snapdragon CPU, would be released in June 2011. On August 18, 2011, HP announced the discontinuation of the TouchPad, due to sluggish sales.[68] In 2013, theMozilla Foundation announced a prototype tablet model withFoxconn which ran onFirefox OS.[69] Firefox OS was discontinued in 2016.[70] TheCanonical hinted thatUbuntu would be available on tablets by 2014.[71] In February 2016, there was a commercial release of theBQ Aquaris Ubuntu tablet using theUbuntu Touch operating system.[72] Canonical terminated support for the project due to lack of market interest on April 5, 2017[73][74] and it was then adopted by the UBports as a community project.[75]
As of February 2014, 83% of mobile app developers were targeting tablets,[76] but 93% of developers were targeting smartphones. By 2014, around 23% of B2B companies were said to have deployed tablets for sales-related activities, according to a survey report by Corporate Visions.[77] The iPad held majority use in North America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia, and most of the Americas. Android tablets were more popular in most of Asia (China and Russia an exception), Africa and Eastern Europe. In 2015 tablet sales did not increase. Apple remained the largest seller but its market share declined below 25%.[78]Samsung vice president Gary Riding said early in 2016 that tablets were only doing well among those using them for work. Newer models were more expensive and designed for a keyboard and stylus, which reflected the changing uses.[79] As of early 2016, Android reigned over the market with 65%. Apple took the number 2 spot with 26%, and Windows took a distant third with the remaining 9%.[80] In 2018, out of 4.4 billion computing devices Android accounted for 2 billion, iOS for 1 billion, and the remainder were PCs, in various forms (desktop, notebook, or tablet), running various operating systems (Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Linux, etc.).[81]
Since the early 2020s, various companies such asSamsung are beginning to introducefoldable technology into their tablets.[82]
Tablets can be loosely grouped into several categories by physical size, kind of operating system installed, input and output technology, and uses.[83]
The size of a slate varies, but slates begin at 6 inches (approximately 15 cm).[84] Some models in the larger than 10-inch (25 cm) category include theSamsung Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 at 12.2 inches (31 cm), the Toshiba Excite at 13.3 inches (33 cm)[85] and the Dell XPS 18 at 18.4 inches (47 cm).[86] As of March 2013, the thinnest tablet on the market was theSony Xperia Tablet Z at only 0.27 inches (6.9 mm) thick.[87] On September 9, 2015, Apple released theiPad Pro with a 12.9 inches (33 cm) screen size, larger than the regulariPad.[88]
Mini tablets are smaller and weigh less than slates, with typical screen sizes between 7–8 inches (18–20 cm). The first commercially successful mini tablets were introduced byAmazon.com (Kindle Fire),Barnes & Noble (Nook Tablet), andSamsung (Galaxy Tab) in 2011; and by Google (Nexus 7) in 2012. They operate identically to ordinary tablets but have lower specifications compared to them.
On September 14, 2012, Amazon, Inc. released an upgraded version of the Kindle Fire, theKindle Fire HD, with higher screen resolution and more features compared to its predecessor, yet remaining only 7 inches.[89] In October 2012, Apple released theiPad Mini with a 7.9-inch screen size, about 2 inches smaller than the regulariPad, but less powerful than the then currentiPad 3.[90] On July 24, 2013, Google released an upgraded version of theNexus 7, with FHD display, dual cameras, stereo speakers, more color accuracy, performance improvement, built-inwireless charging, and a variant with 4G LTE support for AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. In September 2013, Amazon further updated the Fire tablet with theKindle Fire HDX. In November 2013, Apple released theiPad Mini 2, which remained at 7.9 inches and nearly matched the hardware of theiPad Air.
Smartphones and tablets are similar devices, differentiated by the former typically having smaller screens and most tablets lackingcellular network capability. Since 2010, crossover touchscreen smartphones with screens larger than 5 inches have been released. That size is generally considered larger than a traditional smartphone, creating the hybrid category of thephablet byForbes[91] and other publications. "Phablet" is aportmanteau of "phone" and "tablet".
At the time of the introduction of the first phablets, they had screens of 5.3 to 5.5 inches, but as of 2017 screen sizes up to 5.5 inches are considered typical. Examples of phablets from 2017 and onward are theSamsung Galaxy Note series (newer models of 5.7 inches), theLG V10/V20 (5.7 inches), theSony Xperia XA Ultra (6 inches), theHuawei Mate 9 (5.9 inches), and the Huawei Honor (MediaPad) X2 (7 inches).
A 2-in-1 PC is a hybrid or combination of a tablet and laptop computer that has features of both. Distinct from tablets,2-in-1 PCs all have physicalkeyboards, but they are either concealable by folding them back and under the touchscreen ("2-in-1 convertible") or detachable ("2-in-1 detachable"). 2-in-1s typically also can display a virtual keyboard on their touchscreens when their physical keyboards are concealed or detached. Some 2-in-1s have processors andoperating systems like those of laptops, such asWindows 10, while having the flexibility of operation as a tablet. Further, 2-in-1s may have typical laptopI/O ports, such asUSB 3 andDisplayPort, and may connect to traditionalPCperipheral devices and external displays. Simple tablets are mainly used asmedia consumption devices, while 2-in-1s have capacity for bothmedia consumption andcontent creation, and thus 2-in-1s are often calledlaptop ordesktop replacement computers.[92]
Convertibles have achassis design by which their physical keyboard may be concealed by flipping/folding the keyboard behind the chassis. Examples include 2-in-1 PCs of theLenovo Yoga series.
Detachables orHybrids have physical keyboards that may be detached from theirchassis, even while the 2-in-1 is operating. Examples include 2-in-1 PCs of theAsus Transformer Pad and Book series, theiPad Pro, and the MicrosoftSurface Book andSurface Pro.
Some tablets are modified by adding physicalgamepad buttons such asD-pad and thumb sticks for better gaming experience combined with thetouchscreen and all other features of a typical tablet computer. Most of these tablets are targeted to run native OS games andemulator games.Nvidia'sShield Tablet, with an 8-inch (200 mm) display, and runningAndroid, is an example. It runs Android games purchased fromGoogle Play store.PC games can also bestreamed to the tablet from computers with some higher end models of Nvidia-poweredvideo cards. TheNintendo Switch hybrid console is also a gaming tablet that runs onits own system software, features detachableJoy-Con controllers with motion controls and three gaming modes: table-top mode using its kickstand, traditional docked/TV mode and handheld mode. While not entirely an actual tablet form factor due to their sizes, some other handheld console including the smaller version of Nintendo Switch, theNintendo Switch Lite, andPlayStation Vita are treated as an gaming tablet or tablet replacement by community and reviewer/publisher due to their capabilities on browsing the internet and multimedia capabilities.[93]
Customized business tablets are built specifically for a business customer's particular needs from a hardware and software perspective, and delivered in abusiness-to-business transaction. For example, in hardware, a transportation company may find that the consumer-gradeGPS module in anoff-the-shelf tablet provides insufficient accuracy, so a tablet can be customized and embedded with a professional-grade antenna to provide a better GPS signal. Such tablets may also beruggedized for field use. For a software example, the same transportation company might remove certain software functions in the Android system, such as the web browser, to reduce costs from needless cellular network data consumption of an employee, and add custom package management software. Other applications may call for aresistive touchscreen and other special hardware and software.
Games on a Ziosk table ordering tablet at an Olive Garden restaurant
A table ordering tablet is a touchscreen tablet computer designed for use incasual restaurants.[97] Such devices allow users to order food and drinks, play games and pay their bill. Since 2013,restaurant chains includingChili's,[98]Olive Garden[99] andRed Robin[100] have adopted them. As of 2014, the two most popular brands wereZiosk andPresto.[101] The devices have been criticized by servers who claim that some restaurants determine their hours based on customer feedback in areas unrelated to service.[102]
Any device that can display text on a screen may act as anE-reader. While traditionally E-readers are designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and periodicals, modern E-readers that use a mobile operating system such as Android have incorporated modern functionally including internet browsing and multimedia capabilities; for example Huawei MatePad Paper is a tablet that uses e-ink instead of typical LCD or LED panel, hence focusing on the reading digital content while maintaining the internet and multimedia capabilities. Some E-reader such as PocketBook InkPad Color and ONYX BOOX NOVA 3 Color even came with colored e-ink panel and speaker which allowed for higher degree of multimedia consumption and video playback.
TheKindle line from Amazon was originally limited to E-reading capabilities; however, an update to their Kindle firmware added the ability to browse the Internet and play audio, allowing Kindles to be alternatives to a traditional tablet, in some cases, with a more readable e-ink panel and greater battery life, and providing the user with access to wider multimedia capabilities compared to the older model.
Two major architectures dominate the tablet market,[103]ARM Ltd.'sARM architecture and Intel's and AMD'sx86. Intel's x86, includingx86-64 has powered the "IBM compatible" PC since 1981 and Apple's Macintosh computers since 2006. The CPUs have been incorporated into tablet PCs over the years and generally offer greater performance along with the ability to run full versions of MicrosoftWindows, along with Windows desktop and enterprise applications. Non-Windows based x86 tablets include theJooJoo. Intel announced plans to enter the tablet market with itsAtom in 2010.[104][105] In October 2013, Intel's foundry operation announced plans to build FPGA-based quad cores for ARM and x86 processors.[106]
ARM has been the CPU architecture of choice for manufacturers of smartphones (95% ARM), PDAs, digital cameras (80% ARM),set-top boxes, DSL routers, smart televisions (70% ARM), storage devices and tablet computers (95% ARM).[107][independent source needed] This dominance began with the release of the mobile-focused and comparatively power-efficient 32-bit ARM610 processor originally designed for theApple Newton in 1993 and ARM3-using Acorn A4 laptop in 1992. The chip was adopted by Psion, Palm and Nokia for PDAs and later smartphones, camera phones, cameras, etc. ARM's licensing model supported this success by allowing device manufacturers to license, alter and fabricate custom SoC derivatives tailored to their own products. This has helped manufacturers extend battery life and shrink component count along with the size of devices.
The multiple licensees ensured that multiple fabricators could supply near-identical products, while encouraging price competition. This forced unit prices down to a fraction of their x86 equivalents. The architecture has historically had limited support from Microsoft, with onlyWindows CE available, but with the 2012 release of Windows 8, Microsoft announced added support for the architecture, shipping their own ARM-based tablet computer, branded theMicrosoft Surface, as well as an x86-64 Intel Core i5 variant branded as Microsoft Surface Pro.[108][109][110][111] Intel tablet chip sales were 1 million units in 2012, and 12 million units in 2013.[112] Intel chairman Andy Bryant has stated that its 2014 goal is to quadruple its tablet chip sales to 40 million units by the end of that year,[113] as an investment for 2015.[114][115][116][117]
A key component among tablet computers is touch input on atouchscreen display. This allows the user to navigate easily and type with avirtual keyboard on the screen or press other icons on the screen to open apps or files. The first tablet to do this was theLinus Write-Top byLinus Technologies; the tablet featured both astylus, a pen-like tool to aid with precision in a touchscreen device, as well as handwriting recognition.[31][118] The system must respond to on-screen touches rather than clicks of a keyboard or mouse. This operation makes precise use of oureye–hand coordination.[119][120][121]
Touchscreens usually come in one of two forms:
Resistive touchscreens are passive and respond to pressure on the screen. They allow a high level ofprecision, useful in emulating apointer (as is common in tablet computers) but may require calibration. Because of the high resolution, a stylus or fingernail is often used. Stylus-oriented systems are less suited tomulti-touch.
Capacitive touchscreens tend to be less accurate, but more responsive than resistive devices. Because they require a conductive material, such as a fingertip, for input, they are not common among stylus-oriented devices but are prominent on consumer devices. Most finger-driven capacitive screens do not currently support pressure input (except for theiPhone 6S and later models), but some tablets use a pressure-sensitive stylus oractive pen.[122]
Some tablets can recognize individual palms, while some professional-grade tablets use pressure-sensitive films, such as those ongraphics tablets. Some capacitive touch-screens can detect the size of the touched area and the pressure used.[123]
Chinese characters like this one meaning "person" can be written by handwriting recognition (,Mandarin:rén,Korean:in, Japanese:jin,nin;hito,Cantonese: jan4). The character has two strokes, the first shown here in brown, and the second in red. The black area represents the starting position of the writing instrument.
Many tablets support a stylus and supporthandwriting recognition.Wacom andN-trig digital pens provide approximately 2500 DPI resolution for handwriting, exceeding the resolution of capacitive touch screens by more than a factor of 10. These pens also support pressure sensitivity, allowing for "variable-width stroke-based" characters, such as Chinese/Japanese/Korean writing, due to their built-in capability of "pressure sensing". Pressure is also used in digital art applications such asAutodesk Sketchbook.[124][125] Apps exist on both iOS and Android platforms for handwriting recognition and in 2015 Google introduced its own handwriting input with support for 82 languages.[126]
After 2007, with access to capacitive screens and the success of the iPhone, other features became common, such as multi-touch features (in which the user can touch the screen in multiple places to trigger actions and othernatural user interface features, as well asflash memorysolid state storage and "instant on"warm-booting; externalUSB andBluetoothkeyboards defined tablets.
Most tablets released since mid-2010 use a version of anARM processor for longer battery life. TheARM Cortex family is powerful enough for tasks such asinternet browsing, light creative and production work andmobile games.[127]
Other features are: High-definition,anti-glare display, touchscreen, lower weight and longerbattery life than a comparably-sized laptop, wireless local area and internet connectivity (usually withWi-Fi standard and optionalmobile broadband),Bluetooth for connecting peripherals and communicating with local devices, ports for wired connections and charging, for exampleUSB ports, Early devices had IR support and could work as a TVremote controller,docking station, keyboard and added connectivity, on-boardflash memory, ports for removable storage, variouscloud storage services for backup andsyncing data across devices, local storage on alocal area network (LAN).
Speech recognition Google introduced voice input inAndroid 2.1 in 2009 andvoice actions in2.2 in 2010, with up to five languages (now around 40).[128]Siri was introduced as a system-wide personal assistant on theiPhone 4S in 2011 and now supports nearly 20 languages. In both cases, the voice input is sent to central servers to perform general speech recognition and thus requires a network connection for more than simple commands.
Desktop OS-based tablets are currently thicker and heavier. They require more storage andmore cooling and give less battery life. They can run processor-intensive graphical applications in addition tomobile apps, and have moreports.[129]
Mobile-based tablets are the reverse, and run only mobile apps. They can use battery life conservatively because the processor is significantly smaller. This allows the battery to last much longer than the common laptop.[130]
In Q1 2018, Android tablets had 62% of the market, Apple's iOS had 23.4% of the market and Windows 10 had 14.6% of the market.[131] In late 2021, iOS has 55% use worldwide (varies by continent, e.g. below 50% in South America and Africa) and Android 45% use. Still, Android tablets have more use than iOS in virtually all countries, except for e.g. the U.S. and China.[132][133][134]
Android is aLinux-basedoperating system that Google offers asopen source under theApache license. It is designed primarily for mobile devices such assmartphones and tablet computers. Android supports low-costARM systems and others. The first tablets running Android were released in 2009.[135] Vendors such asMotorola[136] andLenovo[137] delayed deployment of their tablets until after 2011, when Android was reworked to include more tablet features.[138][139][140]Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), released in 2011 and later versions support larger screen sizes, mainly tablets, and have access to theGoogle Play service. Android includes operating system,middleware and key applications. Other vendors sell customized Android tablets, such asKindle Fire andNook, which are used to consumemobile content and provide their own app store, rather than using the largerGoogle Play system, thereby fragmenting the Android market.[141] In 2022 Google began to re-emphasize in-house Android tablet development — at this point, a multi-year commitment.[142]
As mentioned above,Amazon Fire OS is an Android-based mobile operating system produced by Amazon for its Fire range of tablets. It is forked from Android. Fire OS primarily centers on content consumption, with a customized user interface and heavy ties to content available from Amazon's own storefronts and services.
TheiPad runs oniPadOS. Prior to the introduction of iPadOS in 2019, the iPad raniOS, which was created for theiPhone andiPod Touch. The first iPad was released in 2010.[150] Although built on the same underlyingUnix implementation asmacOS, its user interface is radically different. iPadOS is designed for touch input from the user's fingers and has none of the features that required a stylus on earlier tablets. Apple introducedmulti-touch gestures, such as moving two fingers apart or together to zoom in or out, also termedpinch to zoom.[151] iPadOS and iOS are built for theARM architecture.[152]
Kindle firmware is a mobile operating system specifically designed for Amazon Kindle e-readers. It is based on a custom Linux kernel; however, it is entirely closed-source and proprietary, and only runs on Amazon Kindle line up manufactured under the Amazon brand.
ThePlayStation Vita system software is the official firmware and operating system for thePlayStation Vita andPlayStation TV video game consoles. It uses the LiveArea as its graphical shell. The PlayStation Vita system software has one optional add-on component, the PlayStation Mobile Runtime Package. The system is built on a Unix-base which is derived from FreeBSD and NetBSD. Due to it capabilities on browsing the internet and multimedia capabilities, it is treat as an gaming tablet or tablet replacement by community and reviewer/publisher.
Ubuntu Touch is an open-source (GPL) mobile version of theUbuntu operating system[145] originally developed in 2013 byCanonical Ltd. and continued by the non-profitUBports Foundation in 2017.[153][154] Ubuntu Touch can run on a pure GNU/Linux base on phones with the required drivers, such as theLibrem 5[155] and thePinePhone.[156] To enable hardware that was originally shipped with Android, Ubuntu Touch makes use of the Android Linux kernel, using Android drivers and services via anLXC container, but does not use any of the Java-like code of Android.[157][158] As of February 2022, Ubuntu Touch is available on 78 phones and tablets.[145][159] The UBports Installer serves as an easy-to-use tool to allow inexperienced users to install the operating system on third-party devices without damaging their hardware.[145][160]
FollowingWindows for Pen Computing forWindows 3.1 in 1991, Microsoft supported tablets running Windows XP under theMicrosoft Tablet PC name.[161] Microsoft Tablet PCs were pen-based, fully functionalx86PCs with handwriting and voice recognition functionality.[162]Windows XP Tablet PC Edition provided pen support. Tablet support was added to both Home and Business versions ofWindows Vista andWindows 7. Tablets running Windows could use the touchscreen for mouse input, hand writing recognition and gesture support. Following Tablet PC, Microsoft announced theUltra-mobile PC initiative in 2006 which brought Windows tablets to a smaller, touch-centric form factor.[163][164] In 2008, Microsoft showed a prototype of a two-screen tablet calledMicrosoft Courier, but cancelled the project.
In 2012, Microsoft releasedWindows 8, which features significant changes to various aspects of the operating system's user interface and platform which are designed for touch-based devices such as tablets. The operating system also introduced anapplication store and a new style of application optimized primarily for use on tablets.[165][166] Microsoft also introducedWindows RT, an edition of Windows 8 for use on ARM-based devices.[167] The launch of Windows 8 and RT was accompanied by the release of devices with the two operating systems by various manufacturers (including Microsoft themselves, with the release ofSurface), such as slate tablets, hybrids, and convertibles.[168]
Released in July 2015, Windows 10 introduces what Microsoft described as "universal apps"; expanding onMetro-style apps, these apps can be designed to run across multiple Microsoft product families with nearly identical code – includingPCs, tablets,smartphones,embedded systems,Xbox One,Surface Hub andWindows Holographic. The Windows user interface was revised to handle transitions between a mouse-oriented interface and atouchscreen-optimized interface based on available input devices – particularly on2-in-1 PCs; both interfaces include an updatedStart menu. Windows 10 replaced all earlier editions of Windows.[169][170]
Several hardware companies have built hybrid devices with the possibility to work with both Android andWindows Phone operating systems (or in rare casesWindows 8.1, as with the, by now cancelled,Asus Transformer Book Duet), whileArs Technica stated: "dual-OS devices are always terrible products. Windows and Android almost never cross-communicate, so any dual-OS device means dealing with separate apps, data, and storage pools and completely different UI paradigms. So from a consumer perspective, Microsoft and Google are really just saving OEMs from producing tons of clunky devices that no one will want."[171]
BlackBerry 10 (based on theQNX OS) is fromBlackBerry. As a smartphone OS, it is closed-source and proprietary, and only runs on phones and tablets manufactured by BlackBerry.
One of the dominant platforms in the world in the late 2000s, its global market share was reduced significantly by the mid-2010s. In late 2016, BlackBerry announced that it will continue to support the OS, with a promise to release 10.3.3.[172][173] Therefore, BlackBerry 10 would not receive any major updates as BlackBerry and its partners would focus more on their Android base development.[174]
BlackBerry Tablet OS supports standard BlackBerryJava applications. Support forAndroid apps has also been announced, through sandbox "app players" which can be ported by developers or installed through sideloading by users.[176][177] A BlackBerry Tablet OS Native Development Kit, to develop native applications with theGNU toolchain is currently in closed beta testing. The first device to run BlackBerry Tablet OS was theBlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer.[178]
Apps that do not come pre-installed with the system are supplied throughonline distribution. These sources, termedapp stores, provide centralized catalogs of software and allow "one click" on-device software purchasing, installation and updates.[179][180]
Mobile device suppliers may adopt a"walled garden" approach, wherein the supplier controls what software applications ("apps") are available.Software development kits are restricted to approved software developers. This can be used to reduce the impact ofmalware, provide software with an approvedcontent rating, control application quality and exclude competing vendors.[181]Apple,Google,Amazon, Microsoft andBarnes & Noble all adopted the strategy. B&N originally allowed arbitrary apps to be installed,[182][183][184] but, in December 2011, excluded third parties.[185][186][187][188] Apple and IBM have agreed to cooperate incross-selling IBM-developed applications for iPads and iPhones in enterprise-level accounts.[189] Proponents of open source software say that the iPad (or such "walled garden" app store approach) violates the spirit of personal control that traditional personal computers have always provided.[190][191][192]
Around 2010, tablet use by businesses jumped, as business began to use them for conferences, events, and trade shows. In 2012, Intel reported that their tablet program improved productivity for about 19,000 of their employees by an average of 57 minutes a day.[193] In October 2012, display screen shipments for tablets began surpassing shipments for laptop display screens.[194] Tablets became increasingly used in theconstruction industry to look atblueprints, field documentation and other relevant information on the device instead of carrying around large amounts of paper.[195]Time described the product's popularity as a "global tablet craze" in a November 2012 article.[196]
As of the start of 2014, 44% of US online consumers owned tablets,[197] a significant jump from 5% in 2011.[198] Tablet use also became increasingly common among children. A 2014 survey found that mobiles were the most frequently used object for play among American children under the age of 12. Mobiles were used more often in play than video game consoles, board games, puzzles, play vehicles, blocks and dolls/action figures. Despite this, the majority of parents said that a mobile was "never" or only "sometimes" a toy.[199] As of 2014, nearly two-thirds of American 2- to 10-year-olds have access to a tablet ore-reader.[200] The large use of tablets by adults is as a personal internet-connected TV.[201] A 2015 study found that a third of children under five have their own tablet device.[202]
After a fast rise in sales during the early 2010s, the tablet market had plateaued in 2015[203] and by Q3 2018[204][205] sales had declined by 35% from its Q3 2014 peak.[206] In spite of this, tablet sales worldwide had surpassed sales of desktop computers in 2017,[207] and worldwide PC sales were flat for the first quarter of 2018.[208] In 2020 the tablet market saw a large surge in sales with 164 million tablet units being shipped worldwide due to a large demand forwork from home andonline learning.[209]
Unit sales or shipments of global tablet market 2010–2019(Figures from 2010 to 2014 are sales estimates provided byGartner; figures from 2014 to 2019 are shipments estimates provided byIDC)
According to a survey conducted by the Online Publishers Association (OPA) now calledDigital Content Next (DCN) in March 2012, it found that 72% of tablet owners had an iPad, while 32% had anAndroid tablet. By 2012, Android tablet adoption had increased. 52% of tablet owners owned an iPad, while 51% owned an Android-powered tablet (percentages do not add up to 100% because some tablet owners own more than one type).[236] By end of 2013, Android's market share rose to 61.9%, followed by iOS at 36%.[237] By late 2014, Android's market share rose to 72%, followed by iOS at 22.3% and Windows at 5.7%.[238] As of early 2016, Android has 65% marketshare, Apple has 26% and Windows has 9% marketshare.[80] In Q1 2018, Android tablets had 62% of the market, Apple's iOS had 23.4% of the market andWindows 10 had 14.6% of the market.[131]
The blue wavelength of light from back-lit tablets may impact one's ability to fall asleep when reading at night, through the suppression ofmelatonin.[240] Experts atHarvard Medical School suggest limiting tablets for reading use in the evening. Those who have a delayed body clock, such as teenagers, which makes them prone to stay up late in the evening and sleep later in the morning, may be at particular risk for increases in sleep deficiencies.[241] A PC app such asF.lux and Android apps such as CF.lumen[242] and Twilight[243] attempt to decrease the impact on sleep by filtering blue wavelengths from the display.iOS 9.3 includesNight Shift that shifts the colors of the device's display to be warmer during the later hours.[244]
Because of, among other things, electromagnetic waves emitted by this type of device, the use of any type of electronic device during the take-off and landing phases was totally prohibited on board commercial flights. On November 13, 2013, theEuropean Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) announced that the use of mobile terminals could be authorized on the flights of European airlines during these phases from 2014 onwards, on the condition that the cellular functions are deactivated ("airplane" mode activated).[245] In September 2014, EASA issued guidance that allows EU airlines to permit use of tablets, e-readers, smartphones, and other portable electronic devices to stay on without the need to be in airplane mode during all parts of EU flights; however, each airline has to decide to allow this behavior.[246] In the U.S., theFederal Aviation Administration allowed use of portable electronic devices during all parts of flights while in airplane mode in late 2013.[247]
Some French historical monuments are equipped with digital tactile tablets called "HistoPad".[248] It is an application integrated with aniPad Mini offering an interaction in augmented and virtual reality with several pieces of the visit, the visitor being able to take control of their visit in an interactive and personalized way.
Some professionals – for example, in the construction industry, insurance experts, lifeguards or surveyors – use so-called rugged shelf models in the field that can withstand extreme hot or cold shocks or climatic environments. Some units are hardened against drops and screen breakage. Satellite-connectivity-equipped tablets such as the Thorium X,[249] for example, can be used in areas where there is no other connectivity. This is a valuable feature in the aeronautical and military realms. For example, United States Army helicopter pilots are moving to tablets aselectronic flight bags, which confer the advantages of rapid, convenient synchronization of large groups of users, and the seamless updating of information.[250] US Army chaplains who are deployed in the field with the troops cite the accessibility of Army regulations, field manuals, and other critical information to help with their services; however, power generation, speakers, and a tablet rucksack are also necessary for the chaplains.[251]
^Roger Kay on Intel and Microsoft: "Clearly, each one is looking at a post-PC world..."Pimentel, Benjamin (April 29, 2011)."Microsoft offers more muted view of PCs".MarketWatch.Archived from the original on May 2, 2011. RetrievedJanuary 12, 2023.
^Parrish, Kevin (October 28, 2010)."Microsoft's Ray Ozzie sees Post-PC world".Tom's Hardware US.It's important that all of us ... form a realistic picture of what apost-PC world would actually look like ... Those who can envision a plausible future that's brighter than today will earn the opportunity to lead [in the market].
^Randewich, Noel (September 9, 2014)."Intel's CEO says its costly tablet chip strategy has paid off".Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. RetrievedSeptember 9, 2014.In the second quarter, Intel's mobile and communications unit revenue fell to 51 million dollars, and lost 1.12 billion dollars in the quarter
