Research firm IDC has revised its prediction that tablets shipped in 2013 will number 172 million units, upping that total to more than 190 million for the year.

Tablet shipments are also expected to increase by around 11% annually between this year and 2016, eventually numbering over 350 million units shipped in 2017.

IDC bases the increased number of expected tablets on the market on the popularity of smaller tablet form factors, with research analyst Jitesh Ubrani saying “One in every two tablets shipped this quarter was below 8 inches in screen size. And in terms of shipments, we expect smaller tablets to continue growing in 2013 and beyond.”

“Vendors are moving quickly to compete in this space as consumers realize that these small devices are often more ideal than larger tablets for their daily consumption habits.”

Source: IDC