Research firm IDC has published its latest tablet shipments estimate for Q1 of 2014, and it shows Apple holding on to a dwindling market share. IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker says the iPad accounts for approximately one third of all global tablets shipped in the first three months of 2014. While Apple remains number one, it’s lead is slipping, with iPad shipment declining both quarterly and yearly.
IDC, via MacRumors:
Apple maintained its lead in the worldwide tablet plus 2-in-1 market, shipping 16.4 million units. That’s down from 26.0 million units in the previous quarter and well below its total of 19.5 million units in the first quarter of 2013. Despite the contraction, the company saw its share of the market slip only modestly to 32.5%, down from the previous quarter’s share of 33.2%. Samsung once again grew its worldwide share, increasing from 17.2% last quarter to 22.3% this quarter. Samsung continues to work aggressively with carriers to drive tablet shipments through attractively priced smartphone bundles. Rounding out the top five were ASUS (5%), Lenovo (4.1%), and Amazon (1.9%).
As would be expected, Android is the platform leader, with two-thirds of the market, followed by iOS. Windows marketshare remains small, but growing.
One thing to keep in mind when looking at numbers such as these, IDC tracks tablet shipments, not actual sales, so it’s impossible to know how many “shipped” tablets remain in warehouses and on store shelves.
