IDG Contributor Network: Gartner: Consumers will buy more kinds of devices as market progresses

Reversing the trend in personal electronics where consumers have consolidated devices in recent years—such as turning a music player and cellphone into a smartphone—Gartner predicts we're going to be acquiring more kinds of devices again.

The invention of the smartphone allowed consolidation, and since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, we've become accustomed to reading news on phones, along with taking photos, listening to music, making voice calls, and sending texts. The flashlight works well in dark places, too.

For some, the laptop has been consigned to office-only, and the once-coveted tablet downgraded to a children's media consumption device, as larger, more thumb-friendly smartphone screens have entered the market.

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