Windows Tablets Gain Market Share at iPad's Expense

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A new report from Strategy Analytics shows that tablet sales increased dramatically during the first quarter of the year. In addition, the tablet market is becoming more diverse as Windows and Android-based tablets gain market share while the iPad’s share declines.

VentureBeat’s Devindra Hardawar observed, “If you needed further evidence that tablets are more than a mere computing fad, just look at the latest numbers from Strategy Analytics. The firm found that the tablet industry more than doubled in the first quarter — reaching 40.6 million units, up from 18.7 million last year.”

CNET’s Brooke Crothers noted, “Windows 8 tablets (which include Windows RT) took 7.5 percent of the global tablet market based on operating system (OS) market share in the first quarter, Strategy Analytics said. PC makers (including Microsoft) shipped 3.4 million units worldwide in Q1 2013, ‘for a niche 7.5 percent share,’ Neil Shah, a Strategy Analytics analyst, said in a response to an e-mail query. But the market research firm said things could have been better. ‘Very limited distribution, a shortage of top tier apps, and confusion in the market, are all holding back shipments,’ Strategy Analytics said in a statement.”

InformationWeek’s Eric Zeman added, “Apple sold a total of 19.5 million iPads during the first quarter of the year, representing a mix of full-sized iPads and iPad Minis. (Apple didn’t provide a breakdown of its individual tablet sales.) That gave Apple a leading position with 48.2% of the tablet market. That’s down markedly, however, from the 63.1% of the tablet market Apple held a year ago. Those fifteen percentage points went mostly to Android tablets, but also to Windows-based tablets.”

According to ZDNet’s Liam Tung, “While Windows may be increasing its tablet presence, the real movers and shakers are the no-name, low-cost white-box tablets emerging from China. Some analysts expect as many 60 million white-box tablets to sell this year. If white-box tablets using Android were included in the figures, Android would steal the tablet OS crown from Apple, according to Strategy’s director of tablets, Peter King.”