Research firm Canalys has for the first time found that non-iOS tablets have surpassed the iPad in global market share. While Apple still holds the biggest market share by a single manufacturer with 42.7%, tablets from Samsung, Amazon, Lenovo, Acer and others have combined to pass the company in total market share with a combined 57.3% of the tablet market. This compares to the year-ago quarter where Apple held 71.2% of the tablet market share, compared to other manufacturers who combined for 28.9% of the market. In total, worldwide tablet shipments grew to 34.2 million tablets in Q2 2013, up from 23.9 million in the year-ago quarter.
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Apple’s decline in shipments and share has been partly attributed to its aging portfolio. But Canalys believes that new product launches will have less impact on its shipments in future. ‘When Apple does decide to refresh its iPad range it will not experience the buzz of previous launches,’ said Canalys Analyst James Wang. ‘Tablets are now mainstream products and hardware innovation is increasingly difficult. With branded Android tablets available for less than $150, the PC market has never been so good for consumers, who are voting with their wallets.’ The move to smaller tablets has sparked a price war that has real consequences for the entire supply chain. These products generate little absolute margin for channel partners, vendors or component manufacturers. Content, applications and accessories (especially cases and keyboards) are now even more important to boost margins – areas where Apple remains a leader.
While Canalys saw Apple's share of the tablet market fall below 50% for the first time during the second quarter of 2013, other studies have shown that the milestone was passed earlier. For example, IDC showed Apple falling to 43.6% back in the fourth quarter of 2012. Difficulties in tracking actual sales and shipment, particularly with respect to generic devices sold in emerging markets, frequently lead to wide disparities in results from various firms.
Also unclear is what many of these non-Apple tablets are being used for, as web usage statistics have consistently shown the iPad dominating the market.
Apple is expected to refresh the iPad line as soon as next month, with the release of a fifth-generation iPad that is said to be lighter and thinner than previous models, and a new iPad mini that is likely to have a high-resolution Retina display.
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I know plenty of people who use nexus and kindle tablets regularly.
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Why do you just assume that iPads are far superior to android tablets? In many cases it's the other way round.
Because some people NEED to believe that the only reason people don't buy iPads is because of price. And that the reason Android tablets could outsell the iPad has to be some "err" in the system.
Also, this year is the first year there hasn't been a new iPad released in the first half.
But for $229 I have no problems occasionally using the Nexus 7 2nd Gen. I actually find myself using it more because its small and light and perfect for reading.
"the PC market has never been so good for consumers"
surely he means the "POST PC market" as Jobs already pointed out.
PC sales are declining rapidly and will never recover their previous levels. Tablets are projected to overtake PC sales as early as end of next year. People who never needed a PC in the first place are turning to consumer electronic devices like tablets for their needs (facebook, ebay, amazon, browsing, music movies).
Joe Public never needed an Alan Turing general computing device like a PC. But now thanks to Apple and everyone who followed their lead, Joe Public now has that consumer electronic device.
It's a post PC world.
Think back to that day in January 2010 and how they laughed when Steve said "This is a Magical and Revolutionary device". Well the Revolution happened, who's laughing now.