Suggests
That tablets are still very much a luxury item, economy in the shitter so follows tablet sales.
The free fall descent of the tablet distribution market accelerated for the second quarter of 2015, with channel fondleslab sales plunging by 22 per cent to 2.3 million across Western Europe. Sales in the UK nosedived by 31 per cent to 410,100 units, according to the quarterly research on distribution sales compiled by analyst …
Not user replaceable at least. My girlfriend has a four year old iPad that is still going strong. It had such ridiculously long battery life when new that it is still going strong even though the battery has surely lost some pep in middle age (haven't we all) Someday it will reach a state battery life is a problem for her, and at that point it might be worth getting a new one. Probably about the same 6-7 year replacement cycle as a typical consumer laptop, in other words.
"Sent from my home built Linux running desktop."
I see what there did you.
Our core-duo laptops cope with everything we need to do. Absolutely no pressing need to upgrade or acquire new kit.
Might get a tablet to try out ebook learning materials and to see if I can write some stuff for the platform. Just PDFs with hyperlinks. Flashcards for the modern era.
Bought my wife a Nexus 10 nearly 2 years ago. As she's not managed to break/step on it it or 'break' the software - it's still working absolutely fine with no hold ups or shortage of storage. No need to replace = no more sales. As others have said already; that the most likely explanation for plunging sales.
Re Core 2 duo desktops - mine are ye original HPs still doing excellant service as desktops and 'versatile' media boxes - 5 years old at least (and all on Linux if anyone's interested - which I suspect not). No need to replace them until they break irrepairably. H**k, I've even got an HP Pentium 4 dual core doing MythTV server duties without sweating, so that's not being replaced yet.
Re Core 2 duo desktops
My last desktop "upgrade" was to complete silence, and in CPU terms was a downgrade possibly even from Core 2 Duo. SSD + fanless Celeron J1900 Mobo in mini-ITX case may well be the last desktop PC I ever need to buy, apart from replacements after hardware failure. The are good reasons for full-spec Core-i5/i7 systems, but none that make me want one at home.
I have a tablet as well, it does all I want it to (not very much!) And a £50 Kindle with paper display, which I find the most "magical" of my devices, and a perfect replacement for a daily paper made of mashed tree.
I was given an Android tablet when the owner bought a netbook to merge her tablet and laptop functions.
Took it with me on visit to my folks rather than pack a laptop - thinking it would be enough for checking El Reg . In the end I gave up trying to use it in anger. It was just too annoying - and I borrowed my folks' laptop as a browser.
A friend bought me a Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas. The screen works very well in bright sunshine in the garden - but I find that accidental finger movements cause me to lose my place in a book. Have only put one e-book on it so far - as it was a no-brainer choice of £36 in paper - or £2.95 as an e-book. However for most books I have looked at - the e-book is only a few pence cheaper than the paper version. Might as well get the paper one at that price.