Multiscreen Prompts Smartphone Growth - Literally

According to IHS iSuppli, global shipments of "phablets" are set to more than double this year, partly in response to the rise of multiscreen video services. The phablet - a mix of the words "phone" and "tablet" - is a smartphone with a large display, typically sized 5 inches or larger. Shipments of phablets in 2013 are forecast to reach 60.4 million units, up 136% from 25.6 million last year. In 2016, global phablet shipments are expected to reach 146 million units."The move to offer larger-display smartphones reflects the efforts of both device and panel makers to differentiate their products," said Vinita Jakhanwal, director of small and medium displays at IHS iSuppli. "With consumers demanding more lifelike viewing experiences, the trend to offer such devices makes perfect sense, especially considering the increase in rich content that is being made available on smartphones."