A man shows the new Sony Xperia Z1 smartphone at a Sony event in Berlin, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013. A hybrid device that's part tablet and part smartphone called a "phablet" is expected to outsell tablets and gaming consoles next year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Markus Schreiber
December 11, 2013 - 10:10 AM
MONTREAL - A hybrid device that's part tablet and part smartphone called a "phablet" is expected to outsell tablets and gaming consoles next year.
As part of its 2014 tech predictions, Deloitte Canada says 300 million phablets will be sold globally in 2014, totalling $125 billion and representing one quarter of smartphones sold.
In Canada, phablets are expected to make up 10 to 15 per cent of smartphone sales next year.
Phablets are considered smartphones because they make phone calls.
They represented just two per cent of smartphones sold in 2012 and figures for this year are still being compiled.
Deloitte Canada says the oversized smartphones, usually with a five-inch screen, are expected to appeal to consumers are making fewer phone calls but want a bigger screen for activities such as watching video and playing video games.
In 2013, global sales of tablets are expected to be $100 billion, while sales of gaming consoles were estimated to be $10 billion.
Deloitte will release the rest of its predictions for 2014 in January.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013