With the transition from CRT displays to LCD panels, the average size of the displays we use for computing has increased. But so have the resolutions even smaller displays can achieve. High resolution 21 to 24-inch widescreen monitors are now both commonplace and relatively cheap to pick up. Laptop displays range from 10 to 17-inches, and tablets 7 to 10-inches for the most part.
These modern displays with higher resolutions have led to the inevitable happening: the average screen resolution used worldwide increased last month for the first time in years. The average has sat at 1024 x 768 since at least March 2009, but StatCounter has been tracking it ever since and as of March 2012, 1366 x 768 is now the most popular. 1024 x 768 has dropped to second place, and 1280 x 800 takes up third position.
StatCounter’s tracking includes desktops, laptops, and tablet devices, but excludes mobile devices smaller than that such as smartphones. What it does show is that even though tablets are becoming ever more popular, it is the increased resolution of desktops and laptops that has made this change happen. I can say that with confidence because typically tablet displays don’t have a resolution above 1024 x 768. It’s only the odd Android tablet (Transformer Prime) and the new iPad that go beyond that currently.
It seems likely that 1366 x 768 will remain in pole position for the foreseeable future. Ultrabooks typically ship with displays sporting that resolution, as do Apple’s MacBook Air 11.6-inch models. It’s also feasible to expect non-Apple tablets to ship with this resolution to get closer to the new iPad, rather than attempting to match it.
In the short term I don’t see the increased average having an impact on the way content is presented to the user, e.g. on websites. But as screen resolutions continue to increase, especially for smartphones, we could see a shift to support 1366 x 768 as a base resolution.
