Tablet sales will double over the next four years to reach over half a billion units in 2018, according to predictions by CCS Insight.

Despite sales rising just nine per cent in 2014, the report by CCS Insight forecasts that rising sales from first-time buyers, complemented by a rash of upgrades as owners of older models being to replace their aging tablets will see sales increase 28 per cent in 2015, reaching 283m units.

Windows is expected to carve out a larger share of the tablet market over the next few years, with awareness of the Surface tablet growing thanks to Microsofts investment in marketing and attractive bundles of hardware and software.

“We expect Android to continue dominating the low-end and mid-range market, with Apple taking the lions share of the high end,” said Marina Koytcheva, director of forecasting at CCS Insight. “But Windows is gaining a bigger slice of the pie, albeit from a very low level, and should not be overlooked.

“Microsofts decision to scrap its licence fee for Windows devices under nine inches is a major factor. It has given Windows fresh impetus, as it has spurred manufacturers to produce a better range of devices at a variety of prices.”

According to the forecast, businesses will provide a second wave of growth beyond 2016, with Windows 10 playing a major role as manufacturers concentrate on personal productivity features and mobile enterprise applications push more businesses to think of tablets as two in one devices capable of replacing PCs.