Rear seat entertainment is set to be a growth market for Tablets as parents use them to keep backseat passengers occupied according to new research.IHS iSuppli said that although smartphones are labeled as “the preferential platform for car infotainment” due to their GPS and media player integration, tablets have screen sizes that are more suitable for prolonged media-consumption use.

Also, since tablets have a touchscreen and lack a keyboard, they are really more designed for consuming content rather than creating it, the market research firm said. Since “the driver and passengers are usually passive with regards to incoming data, meaning that they absorb and consume information and media, but do not create content” … tablets are thus ideal for in-vehicle use. 

Pricing is still a hindrance for tablets, however. “The cost of tablets still has not reached the sweet spot for wide proliferation in motor vehicles,” IHS iSuppli said. “Nevertheless,” it added, “competition will push prices down in the near future. This will make tablets more attractive for use in cars.”

Also, IHS iSuppli noted, car makers will benefit from the integration of car infotainment systems. “Because of this, many companies already are offering applications for tablets and smartphones dedicated to the automotive segment,” it said. 

“These have found a great opportunity to spread quickly, taking advantage of Internet access and communication capabilities from Wi-Fi to 2G, 3G or LTE technologies.”