A new study from Strategy Analytics indicates that Android tablets have finally started to take a bite out of the fruit of the iPad. According to their numbers, Apple's iPad shipments fell sharply during Quarter 2, and Android Tablets were the reason behind it. Android tabs rose from a paltry 2.9% marketshare during the 1st quarter, to a whopping 30.1% during the second quarter. Contrast that with the iPad that went from 94.3% marketshare in Q1 down to 61.3% in Q2, and you can see directly where 'Andy' is eating his snacks.
Technically, Apple has still sold over twice as many iPads than Google has Android Tablets, at 9.3 Million to 4.6 Million respectively; however, that's because it was Apple's market to begin with, and their market to lose, since they pioneered it in the first place. It has to be alarming to Steve Jobs and Co. that Android was able to make such a dramatic jump in such a short amount of time. And, it's only going to get worse, since Amazon plans to get into the tablet market in a big way later this year.
Here's a quote from Neil Mawston, director at Strategy Analytics,
Indeed, if Amazon can earn the respect of Android lovers and, more importantly, regular consumers, then we could easily see Android tablets overtake the iPad as early as next year.If Amazon decides to enter the Android tablet category later this year, that will bring fresh excitement and buzz to the Android community, but Amazon will need to deliver a truly standout offering if it really wants to make headway against the popular iPad.
Source: AndroidTablets.net via CNet