Global market research firm TrendForce reports worldwide tablet shipments in the first quarter of 2016 totaled 35.2 million units, translating to a 35% drop from the previous quarter and a 7.9% drop from a year ago. TrendForce notebook analyst Anita Wang said branded tablet vendors’ shipment results were mediocre following their impressive fourth-quarter performances that were supported by the peak season demand.
Virtual reality (VR) has made significant progress in the consumer market as major technology companies roll out competing products. According to the global market research firm TrendForce, the 9 million out of the estimated 105 million units wearable devices shipped this year will be VR-based products. Gaming has emerged as the first major consumer application for the VR technology, said TrendForce analyst Ariel Chen.