Android Tablets Will Outsell iPads In 2013, But iPad Will Still Dominate Market Until 2017

Cheap Android tablets are stealing the iPad's market share.

Cheaper Android tablets are stealing the iPad’s market share.

There’s good news and bad news for both iOS and Android fans in the latest report from research firm IDC.

The good news (for Android) is that by the end of this year, Android will account for most of the tablets in the world, with a 48.8% marketshare to Apple’s 46 percent.

The bad news? Apple’s going to keep a greater-than-40% market share of the tablet market until at least 2017, which IDC predicts will break down to 46% Android, 43.5% iOS and about 10% various versions of Windows.

In other words, Android will be the most popular tablet OS in the world, but that marketshare will be fragmented amongst hundreds of companies. Meanwhile, Apple will be exclusively collecting profit on an almost-as-large slice of the pie.