The latest research by Strategy Analytics reveals global tablet shipments reached an all-time high of 40.6 million units in the first quarter of 2013. Tablet shipments in the first quarter of 2012 were measured at 18.7 million.
In the fourth quarter of 2012, tablet shipments grew by 74% year-on-year, to reach 46.6 million units.
Peter King, director of tablets at Strategy Analytics, says the demand for tablets among consumer, business and education users remains strong. "Apple produced a solid performance this quarter, as the Mini had its first full term and shipped a robust 19.5 million mixed iPads worldwide. Global Android tablet shipments increased 17% annually, to 17.6 million units."
Breakdown
Android increased its share in the tablet market by more than 10% from the first quarter of 2012, coming in at 43.4%. Apple maintained its lead, but declined 63.1% in the first quarter of 2012, to 48.2% in the first quarter of 2013.
Microsoft managed to secure 7.5% of the global tablet share in the first quarter of 2013. According to Strategy Analytics, the low market share is a result of limited distribution, a shortage of top tier apps, and confusion in the market.
King adds that the addition of white-box tablets greatly influenced Apple's market share. "Android market share of the total tablet market increases significantly to 52% and iOS slips to 41%, as the bulk of the white-box tablets are Android low-budget models aimed at a different market to the branded tablets."
PC ailment
Earlier this month, the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker revealed the PC market saw its steepest decline in sales, in the first quarter of the year, since it started measuring the sector in 1994. This marks the fourth consecutive quarter of year-on-year shipment declines.
According to the IDC, the shipment of PCs declined almost 6% more than originally forecast for the first quarter of 2013, dropping 13.9% year-on-year. The IDC predicts the shipment of tablets will surpass desktop PCs in 2013 and portable PCs in 2014. In 2013, worldwide desktop PC shipments are expected to drop by 4.3% and portable PCs to maintain a low growth of 0.9%.
The migration to other computing devices and the launch of Windows 8 failing to provide a positive boost to the PC market have been cited as the main reasons for the steep decline.
Microsoft managed to sell just 60 million licences and upgrades for the Windows 8 operating system in the 10 weeks since its launch, with users citing problems with the opening and closing of documents and especially the frustration with the loss of the Start button.
On the back of the international launch failure of Windows 8, Microsoft is rumoured to make some changes with the release of Windows 8.1 - also known as Windows Blue.
Rumours started surfacing that the upgraded version of Windows 8 might bring back the Start button and get rid of the tile menu, reverting back to desktop. Windows 8.1 is expected to go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Microsoft has confirmed the Surface tablet would be launched in SA in the second half of 2013. It did, however, not reveal any more information. "All we can share at this point is that Surface is coming to SA. We will reveal any further information, such as pricing, timelines and models, as it becomes available to us."
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