Apple’s iron-clad grip on the tablet market is beginning to loosen as fourth quarter market share reports show the iPad captured 75.3 percent, down from 95.5 percent a quarter ago. Walking away with 21.6 percent market share were Android tablets, exploding from their meager 2.3 percent in the third quarter.
Fueled by a reported two million Galaxy Tabs shipped in 2010, Android tablets accounted for 13.1 percent of total 2010 tablet market share. Apple’s iPad on the other hand, accounted for 84.1 percent. With dozens of Android tablets planned for 2011, Apple will face even stiffer competition.
Unfortunately, percentages do not tell the entire story. 2010 was a blockbuster year for Apple, selling 7.3 million iPads in the fourth quarter, up from the 4.2 million units in the third . In total, Apple shipped 14.8 million iPads worldwide in 2010 which significantly overshadows Samsung two million Galaxy Tabs.
The latest IDC estimates expect over 44 million tablets to be shipped in 2011, up exponentially from the 17 million shipped in 2010. Whether you choose Android or iOS for your tablet future there’s certainly no shortage of devices, just take a look at our CES 2011 coverage.
In other Android tablet news, a successful port of Android 3.0 Honeycomb to the Nook Color has been completed. Also, DigiTimes is reporting that the Motorola XOOM will be released “as early as February”. Other Android Honeycomb tablets will launch “after March”. With Motorola expected to have a month-long head start, the next market share report will be the true test for the iPad 2. Anyone care to guess what market share Android tablets will reach in the next report?
via CNet
