New York - DisplaySearch is forecasting worldwide shipments of tablet PCs will hit 55.7 million in 2011.

Richard Shim, DisplaySearch's mobile computing analyst, cited the large number of new models scheduled to ship for this 200 percent year-over-year increase.

In addition, DisplaySearch expects tablet PCs to give a large boost to the mobile computing market, which also includes notebooks and netbooks. The firm is predicting mobile computer shipments will increase 30.4 percent this year and continue to grow at least through 2014, when 17.7 percent growth can be expected.