During the third quarter of 2012, Apple's iPad clung fast to a majority of tablet shipments around the world with a 55% share. And while this majority position is still impressive, it's important to look beyond the immediate results and consider where they've been since the iPad was first released in the spring of 2010.
Apple's iPad has been the global tablet leader for ten consecutive quarters, but Android-powered tablets have worn away at this lead substantially. ABI research says 55% is the lowest share Apple has seen since the tablet was launched two and a half years ago.
In case you're wondering, Android now powers 44% of the global tablet market as of the end of Q3. Although it isn't clear how soon Amazon, Google, and Samsung will combine to take a collective majority share away from Apple, it's clear that the iPad's days of dominance are now numbered.
"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," says ABI's senior practice director Jeff Orr. "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."
Source: ABI Research
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