PUNE: American computer maker Dell expects growth in tablets to slow down in the next few years even as the 2-in-1 laptop segment continues to expand. “The growth in 2-in-1(detachable devices) has a small base, but is rapidly accelerating, while tablets are in decline as smartphones pick up,” said James Johnston , general manager-client solutions, Dell Asia Pacific and Japan.The market, Johnston said, is broadly divided into the consumer and commercial categories, and in both segments, the tablet or slate form is declining. “In the commercial market, it is only around 50% of the total space. The commercial market is seeing a stronger growth in 2-in-1 devices,” Johnston said. “The slate form factor is migrating up to bigger devices, as smartphones continue to get bigger. We expect a significant growth coming out of the 2-in-1s in the commercial space over the next three-five years,” he said.In February, pure slate tablets saw their steepest decline to date of 21.1% from that a year ago, according to an IDG report. Tablet sales to individual consumers are either flat or declining, Johnston said. “Globally, the compound growth rates are about 15% in 2-in-1and between 0.5% and 1% for slates,” he said, declining to share India-specific data.The Indian client business that he oversees has been growing well, outperforming the market over the past 12 quarters across segments and is likely to continue to grow rapidly, Johnston said.While 2-in-1 devices are a big area of focus for Dell, Johnston said that the company isn’t writing off personal computers just yet. “People have been predicting the decline of PC since the past 10 years. There are periods where the market isn’t growing but there is a huge amount of inorganic growth. The market is consolidating at an increased rate over the past three years,” he said.