Apple has been riding the wave of success with the iPhone and iPad devices for the past five years. The iPhone was the right product at the right time and the iPad, as much as it was argued that it had more to offer, it was a large iPhone offering the same functionality (minus phone calls) in the larger form factor and only helped established Apple’s mobile device brand.
But now figures from the International Data Corporation (IDC) have shown that Apple’s tablet market share has dropped from 65.5% to 50.4%. And it’s Android based devices from Samsung and Amazon, fighting the fight for Google, that have noticed growth in market share.
This isn’t the beginning of the end for the Cupertino giant either, as the drop in sales is being blamed, in part at least, on consumers waiting for the iPad Mini to hit the stores. Although the sheer number of Android tablets that exist, for nearly every budget, won’t help Apple either. Research director of tablets at IDC, Tom Mainelli, has said:
We believe a sizeable percentage of consumers interested in buying an Apple tablet sat out the third quarter in anticipation of an announcement about the new iPad mini. Now that the new mini, and a fourth-generation full-sized iPad, are both shipping we expect Apple to have a very good quarter. However, we believe the mini"s relatively high $329 (£269) starting price leaves plenty of room for Android vendors to build upon the success they achieved in the third quarter.
The tablet market grew 49.5% from this time last year, with all non-Apple devices seeing an increase in shipments. Samsung and Asus (who make the Nexus 7) both saw rises of 325% and 243% respectively.
Adding Microsoft’s Surface and Windows 8 tablets into the mix, the holiday season is going to be a very popular one for gadget lovers.
Source and Image: PC Advisor