Smartphone: Essential, Tablet: Optional

Ever since the first iPad was released in 2010, people have been trying to figure out what tablets are best at. Are they entertainment devices, perfect for watching video content or playing games when traveling or curled up on the sofa? Or are they productivity tools, ideal to be creative, scribble notes or get some work done on the train? Or are they a little bit of everything? A jack of all trades, master of none? One could certainly argue that the industry itself is still trying to find the true calling of tablets, as Apple and its competitors are dabbling with keyboards and other accessories, trying to bridge the gap between smartphones and laptops.

And that may be the biggest problem faced by tablet makers. With smartphones getting larger and more powerful and laptops significantly lighter than a decade ago, it's unclear to many people why they would need a tablet, making it a device that many consider non-essential. According to Statista Consumer Insights, tablet use is roughly half as widespread as smartphone use in most surveyed markets, with smartphone used by virtually all respondents and tablets by around half of respondents in most countries.