Tablet brands are developing models for business, gaming and education applications as a means to cushion off the impact of slacking demand caused by the rising popularity of large-size smartphones and are expected to begin rolling out new models in the third quarter of 2015, according to sources at Taiwan's IC design houses.

Major tablet vendors, including Apple, Google, Amazon, Acer and Lenovo, are all moving toward the same direction, indicated the sources.

For example, demand for education-purpose tablets in the US totals about 10 million units a year, attracting Apple and Google to eagerly cultivate the education market, said the sources.

Meanwhile, vendors are eyeing education tablet markets in China and other emerging markets, the sources added.

Despite the availability of Microsoft's Surface tablets, and more Wintel 2-in-1 models expected to come in the second half of 2015, vendors have been stressing the development of business tablets, said the sources, adding that most consumers are also looking for Apple to release 2-in-1 models for the business sector.