平板電腦發貨量首現年同比下滑，未來價格可能上漲

Worldwide tablet shipments dropped 4.6% in the first quarter from a year ago, according to NPD DisplaySearch, though the report's author says that pocket of the tech sector see improved profits as average prices are expected to climb.

市場調查機構NPD DisplaySearch稱，全球平板電腦出貨量今年一季度同比下降了4.6％。不過，報告撰寫者也表示，平板電腦市場的利潤率將有所提升，因爲平板電腦的平均價格有望攀升。

NPD DisplaySearch reported tablet shipments totaled 56.3 million units in the first quarter, down from 59 million a year ago. The slowdown threatens to drag lower the overall mobile PC market, with many major brands including Apple Inc. (AAPL), Google Inc. (GOOG), and Inc. (AMZN) reporting fewer tablet shipments. Samsung Electronics Co. (SSNLF) only posted a 2% increase.

NPD DisplaySearch稱，今年一季度平板電腦總出貨量達到了5630萬臺，低於去年同期的5900萬臺。經濟增長放緩恐將拖累整個移動PC市場，許多大品牌，包括蘋果（Apple Inc.）、谷歌（Google Inc.）以及亞馬遜（ Inc.）都報告稱平板電腦出貨量減少。三星電子（Samsung Electronics Co.）的平板發貨量雖然有所增加，但增幅也僅爲2%。

It was the first year-over-year decline DisplaySearch has reported since it began tracking such figures in 2011. The decline leads some to wonder: what's next? Some tech observers had hoped the much-hyped wearable category would be the next pocket of scorching growth though NPD earlier this month predicted that market would begin to slow down quickly.

DisplaySearch自從2011年開始跟蹤平板電腦發貨量，這是它第一次發佈報告稱這個數字同比出現了下滑。人們不禁想知道，接下來的走勢會怎麼樣？一些科技界觀察人士希望，炒得正熱的可穿戴設備能成爲繼平板之後的下一個增長熱點。不過，NPD本月早些時候預測，可穿戴設備市場的發展很快就會開始減速。

Richard Shim, senior analyst for DisplaySearch, told Fortune that while tablet sales fell in the first quarter, the overall consumption of hardware devices continues to increase.

DisplaySearch高級分析師理查德o西莫告訴《財富》雜誌，雖然平板電腦銷量一季度有所下滑，但硬件設備的整體銷量將持續增長。

"What we are witnessing is a shift in the personalization of mobile devices," Shim said. "We are moving more toward a convenience-based consumer experience. The device is becoming more intertwined with the user."

西莫說：“我們眼下看到的是移動設備個性化的轉變。我們正朝着追求便利性的消費體驗邁進。設備與用戶的關係正在變得越來越盤根錯節。”

With tablet sales slowing, Shim expects manufacturers will focus less on volumes and more on margins and revenue. He expects average selling prices will pick up. Shim also sees greater diversity of screen sizes and improved resolution--both trends that could inspire greater consumer interest and loftier selling prices.

隨着平板電腦銷售放緩，西莫預計，製造商將不再執着於銷量，而是更多的關注利潤和營收。西莫預計，平板的平均售價會上升。他還表示，屏幕尺寸將更爲多樣，屏幕分辨率也將提高，這兩種趨勢有望提升消費者的興趣，推高平板的售價。

That trend can put the tablet industry on a path toward improved profitability. Shim expects those higher quality devices--with larger screens and greater resolution--will mainly be sold in mature markets, as the industry's players continue to roll out low-cost devices in emerging markets.

這個趨勢有望使平板電腦產業走上改善利潤率的道路。西莫預測，那些高品質的設備，也就是屏幕尺寸更大、屏幕分辨率更高的設備——將主要在成熟市場銷售，同時，各生產廠商將繼續在新興市場推出低成本設備。