The market for tablet computers in New Zealand and Australia will continue to grow as new manufacturers enter the market and established companies launch new models, according to an industry analysis firm.

IDC is predicting a doubling in tablet shipments this year, despite a slow first quarter.

According to Yee-Kuan Lau, market analyst for IDC Australia, "The decrease in shipments is a result of weak consumer demand after a busy Christmas period, proceeded by the anticipation of Apple's iPad 2 along with a series of Android 3.0 Honeycomb devices.

The Android market in particular could grow by up to three times, Lau says.

"Early adopters who would like to purchase a media tablet device as soon as possible may have already gone down the path of purchasing Apple iPad 2 at the end of March.

"However, the launch of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb media tablets, starting from May onwards, will be the first sign of disruption in the media tablet market.

Long-term, sales of the new devices are expected to slow as the market matures. Price points are likely to drop as competition ramps up and component costs fall.

"The key question lies in when media tablet fatigue will be dominant enough to slow down the market.

Read TechDay's story on how tablet technology is being employed in the health sector here.