• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, March 12, 2013

Tablet apps will generate $8.8 billion in revenue this year, while the larger volume of smartphone apps will drive $16.4 billion, according to the latest forecasts from ABI Research. Of the combined $25 billion, 65% will come from Apple’s iOS ecosystem, 27% from Google’s Android, and the remaining 8% from the other mobile platforms.

The firm further projects revenue from tablet apps will surpass that from smartphone apps by 2018, when the combined revenue base reaches $92 billion. “The dynamic is quite straightforward,” said ABI senior analyst Aapo Markkanen. “The larger screen makes apps and content look and feel better, so there are more lucrative opportunities.”

In a separate report today, IDC raised its estimate for global tablet shipments this year to 190.9 million from 172.4 million previously. The research firm also expects shipments to increase by an average of 11% annually through 2016, rising to 350 million by the end of 2017. Demand for smaller tablets especially will grow as consumers embrace more portable models. Half of tablets shipped just this quarter were under eight inches, said IDC.