According to a recent report by ABI Research, Apple’s share of the tablet market continued to best all others with 55% unit shipment share in Q3 2012. However, inspite of maintaining its lead for 10 straight quarters, competition from tablets powered by Google’s Android OS continue to eat away at Apple’s success. Since the launch of iPad in 2010, fifty-five percent is the lowest share Apple has ever had.
Senior practice director Jeff Orr said,“With the introduction of a smaller, lower-cost iPad mini, Apple has acknowledged Android’s beachhead of 7-inch-class tablets, though at the same time, it has failed to deliver a knock-out punch through innovation, pricing, and availability during the most critical selling period of the year.”
As per the report, following Apple in shipment share this past quarter were Samsung, Amazon, and ASUS. ABI Research expects that iPad mini has caused demand for standard iPad models to shift down-market. Limited availability of iPad mini could be the saving grace as end-of-year buying ramps.
The report also revealed that nearly 14% share was given up in the quarter to several benefactors, including Amazon, Google, and Samsung. Android now powers more than 44% of tablet shipments. Orr said, “As the OS of choice for the majority of device OEMs, we expect the Android ecosystem to continue growing in numbers – new manufacturers, better device choices for reaching more markets, and more developers finding value from apps and content.”
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