iPad is still the tablet leader

According to foreign media reports, the latest report released by IDC, a market research company, shows that due to stronger-than-expected sales during the holiday season, global shipments of tablet PCs increased significantly in the fourth quarter of last year. Although iPad competitor growth is strong, Apple still dominates.

Data show that in the fourth quarter of last year global tablet shipments grew to 52.5 million, an increase of 74% from the third quarter of last year and an increase of 75% from the fourth quarter of 2011. Apple’s iPad tablet remained the dominant tablet market in the fourth quarter of last year, but this is not surprising. iPad shipped 22.9 million units in the fourth quarter of last year, an increase of 48% year-on-year.

Due to the sharp increase in iPad competitor's market share, iPad's market share in the fourth quarter of last year fell for the second consecutive quarter, but its market share still reached 43%. Samsung Tablet PC shipments in the fourth quarter of last year increased by 263% year-on-year to 7.9 million, its market share ranked second, but the market share is still only 15%.

Data shows that Amazon’s tablet shipments in the fourth quarter of last year were 6 million, ranking third, with a market share of 11.5%. ASUS shipped 4.10 million tablet PCs in the fourth quarter of last year, ranking fourth, with a market share of only 5.8%. Barnes and Noble ranked fifth in tablet shipments in the fourth quarter of last year, with a market share of 1.9%. Barnes & Noble is also the only company with the year-on-year drop in computer shipments among the top five companies in tablet PC shipments in the fourth quarter of last year. The company’s tablet shipments in the fourth quarter of last year fell by about 28% year-on-year.

Obviously, Microsoft failed to make it into the top five. According to data released by IDC, the shipment of Microsoft's Surface tablet in the fourth quarter of last year was only 900,000 units. Tom Mainelli, research director of IDC’s tablet, said: “We expect strong tablet sales this quarter, and the market did not disappoint. The tablet market hit a record high in the fourth quarter of last year. In stark contrast to the PC market, PC shipments in the fourth quarter of last year fell for the first time in more than five years."