The International Data Corporation (IDC) released its latest report, which shows that Windows is the only operating system that has the ability to withstand the current decline in tablet sales.

In 2014, Apple shipped about 63.4 million iPads and is expected to only ship 60.1 million in 2015. Globally, there was a decline of tablet shipments in the fourth quarter of 2014. It is widely believed that the current decline is due to the majority of people wanting to use a device with a larger screen, i.e laptops and computers. Jetish Urbani, a research analyst at Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, made a statement regarding the global preference of large screens.

“The introduction of Windows 10 later this year is expected to be well received and support the Windows ecosystem, including some PC replacements. However, it will also provide a better experience with mouse and keyboard, effectively relieving some pressure to move towards touch, and supporting non-PC devices such as two-in-ones, likely without boosting total PC shipments significantly. Meanwhile, an increasing number of vendors behind small tablets are reducing prices and adopting features like voice calling to entice consumers to purchase their products over competing phablets, making the dynamics of phablets versus voice-capable tablets an interesting one to watch.”

The IDC figures predict that global tablet shipment will likely reach 234.5 million in 2015. This figure is a mere 2.1 million increase from 2014. According to the report, the boosts in sales and distribution are because of the pending Windows 10 release. IDC’s Tablet Research Director, Jean Phillipe Bouchard, explains how Windows 10 is changing the tablet forecast.

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“Microsoft is doing a lot of good things right now and we believe the launch of Windows 10 later this year will not only have a significant impact on Microsoft’s share of the market, but on the industry as a whole. There is an appetite for a platform that can provide a productivity experience that remains consistent across multiple form factors and device types, and we believe Microsoft is well positioned to capture some of that demand.”

Despite the predicted decline of Apple iPad sales and increase of Windows Tablets sales, IDC expects Android to remain the top-selling operating system. Tech Times reports that Android is expected to dominate two-thirds of the market by 2019.

One potential savior for Apple iPad could be the rumored 12.9 inch iPad Pro. If Apple does create a new tablet with features that allow it to outshine phones and laptops, Apple’s tablet future may not be as dim as IDC predicts. As of now, it seems that Windows tablets will take over 14.1 percent of the market, greatly surpassing Apple’s iPad.

[Image via ComputingForever]