Android Tablets Are Starting To Catch Up To iPad

(10:23 am PDT, Dec 5th 2012)

Android Tablets Are Starting To Catch Up To iPadApple’s iPads, including the new iPad mini, have become the most successful tablets every built. Almost three years after Steve Jobs introduced the original iPad, the device continues to be the king of slates, with more than half of the tablet market share. That hasn’t changed much in 2012, but Android tablets have slowly been eating away at its market share, and it may not be long before they dominate.

Research firm International Data Corp. (IDC) revealed today that iPad market share is expected to slip to 53.8% by the end of 2012, from 56.3% in 2011. Android tablets, on the other hand, will increase their share from 39.8% to 42.7%.

IDC expects worldwide market tablet shipments to have reached 122.3 million units over the year, which is an increase on its previous forecast of 117.1 million. During 2013, IDC expects tablet shipments to reach 172.4 million units, an increase on its previous estimate of 165.9 million units.

“Tablets continue to captivate consumers, and as the market shifts toward smaller, more mobile screen sizes and lower prices points, we expect demand to accelerate in the fourth quarter and beyond,” research director of tablets Tom Mainelli told Reuters.

Microsoft’s Windows tablets are also expected to gain some traction over the next few years, though it won’t be much. IDC predicts it will grab around 2.9% of the market share in 2012, rising to 10.2% by 2016.

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Comment »

  • http://twitter.com/NWNirvana The Dictator

    Where are all of these Android tablets? I live in anti-apple Seattle and the ONLY non iPad I’ve seen in the wild was when a couple opened an Asus Transformer sitting in Panera Bread. They used it for about 20 min, and then promptly put the cellophane back on like they were going to return it.

    • http://www.facebook.com/dschlicker Derek Schlicker

      Anti Apple Seattle, huh? You must live in Redmond… the last great bastion of MS fanboys.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=770173216 facebook-770173216

    Let’s see, much like Samdung makes many Android phones and there are other vendors that make them, Samdung makes multiple Android tablets and others make them as well. Is it any wonder that since only Apple makes iOS devices that the numbers would start to gain? If we compare the iPad to any single Android tablet, they would always win hands down.

    • http://twitter.com/vtorch V.A.N.

      You are comparing a single device to a mobile operating system. That’s not only illogical but also a losing argument Apple and their fans have been trying to make for decades (starting with the PC wars). All in all, when people have a choice between iOS and Android, they have gone android with phones and are going there again with tablets. Once that choice is made, the next one is which Android tablet.

  • Kr00

    Considering they’re now giving them away just to get rid of them, it’s a wonder its taken this long. I guess fudging the sales/shipping figures only works for so long. Still a second rate product, however you’d like to paint it. Now the surface will further muddy the waters when MS will have to start giving their stuff away too.

  • Peter Smith

    Android Tablets Are Starting To Catch Up To iPad because this does signal that the strategy of undercutting the iPad on price has worked as far as market share goes, and with more opportunities for apps to be downloaded on Android, all Android users benefit.

    http://www.ascratech.com/mobile-app-development

About the author

Killian BellKillian Bell is a freelance writer based in the UK. He has an interest in all things tech and also writes for TechnoBuffalo. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell, or through his website.

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