Android doesn’t look like it’s about to lose any of its market share to competing platforms any time soon. During the first quarter of 2013, Google’s platform powered a whipping 59.9% of all smart mobile devices sold as total shipments hit 308.7 million units.
Apple’s iOS, on the other hand, was installed on just 19.3% of devices — despite the success of its iPhones and iPads.
LG is said to be developing a new tablet following its recent success in the smartphone space. It’s thought the device could launch during the third quarter of this year, between July and September, but specifications are unknown at this time.
The International Data Corporation (IDC), an firm that analyzes tech trends around the globe, released its quarterly Worldwide Tablet Market Study today, showing that tablet sales show no signs of slowing down any time soon.
The study shows that tablet shipments have increased 142 percent year over year for Q1 2013. Tablet shipments totaled 49.w million units in this first quarter, surging past the entire first two quarters of 2012 combined.
All tablet makers saw huge gains in the tablet space, though Apple’s overall share of the market is decreasing. The iPad is still the world’s largest tablet being sold, with 19.5 million shipping in the last quarter, up from 11.8 in last year’s Q1, an increase of 64 percent.
The new Sony Xperia Tablet Z is available to pre-order in the United States today, which shipping expected to start on May 24. The 16GB model starts at $499.99, while the 32GB model is priced at $599.99. Those who go for the latter and choose exclusive white instead of black qualify for a free charging cradle worth $44.99.
If Samsung’s 8-inch Galaxy Note tablet is a little too large for your rucksack, then maybe the company’s new 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 will be better suited. Announced this morning, the new slate comes with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean pre-installed, and will be available globally in May.
Samsung warned us that its Apple Store clones were on the way, and this week they’ve begun popping up in Best Buy stores across the United States. Dubbed “Samsung Experience Shops,” the locations give customers the chance to get their hands on Samsung smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other devices so that they can try them out before making a purchase.
Acer will launch a second-generation Iconia B1 tablet this June, just five months after it announced the original, according to sources in the company’s supply chain. The Taiwanese company had originally planned to launch the device towards the end of 2013, but has moved its launch forward several months.
Acer is also said to be planning a new 10-inch entry-level tablet for this summer.
Samsung’s third-generation Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.0 are expected to get their grand unveiling sometime this week, with the 3G models set to go on sale in May. Both devices will reportedly boast dual-core processors, 3-megapixel rear-facing cameras, and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.
Microsoft is planning a new lineup of Surface tablets that includes a 7-inch model designed to compete with Apple’s iPad mini and Google’s Nexus 7, The Wall Street Journal reports. The device will enter mass production later this year, according to people familiar with Microsoft’s plans, but it’s unclear when the company will bring the new slate to market.
If you haven’t heard of South Korea-based bCoda before, that’s OK — neither had we before we got this press release about their first pair of stateside products.
The Bluetooth-equipped CODA One looks like a phone handset, and it sort of functions the same way — only it’s cordless. If you’re juggling lattes, you can also set it down on your desk and use it as a hands-free speakerphone. Bells and whistles include noise-reduction and echo-cancellation, a large battery with a meaty 20 hours of talk time and the ability to pair with up to eight devices.
This week's most...
Read our latest...
