The Global Tablet Market Is Slowing Down, Says IDC

It's been clear for a while that iPads and other tablets follow a much longer upgrade cycle than smartphones. A new report from IDC backs up this anecdotal trend with sales estimates. According to the report, the worldwide tablet market will only grow 7.2 percent this year, a huge drop from the 52.5 percent growth it saw in 2013.

The weak global tablet market is even affecting Apple, whose iPad accounts for nearly 28 percent of the market. According to the report, Apple's year-over-year iPad shipments will decline