Android outshines iOS to become the top operating system for tablets worldwide

[Himanshu Arora]

Google's Android has effectively overtaken Apple's iOS in terms of worldwide tablet sales. According to research conducted by Gartner last month, Android tablets collectively dominated the tablet market in 2013 with sales of 120.9 million units and a market share of 61.9 percent.

Compared with the year 2012, when 53.3 million Android tablets were sold, 2013 witnessed a whopping 127 percent surge in worldwide sales of Android tablets. Over the same period, iPad sales grew to 70.4 million from 61.4 million.

The dramatic boost in sales from several different manufacturers had Android gaining the largest share in the tablet market. While Android's market share grew from 45.8 percent in 2012 to 61.9 percent in 2013, iOS's market share dropped from 52.8 percent to 36 percent during the same period.

Table 1: Worldwide Tablet Sales to End Users by Operating System, 2013 (Units)

Operating System	2013 Sales	2013 Market Share (%)	2012 Sales	2012 Market Share (%)
Android	120,961,445	61.9	53,341,250	45.8
iOS	70,400,159	36.0	61,465,632	52.8
Microsoft	4,031,802	2.1	1,162,435	1.0
Others	41,598	<0.1	379,000	0.3
Total	195,435,004	100.0	116,348,317	100.0

Source: Gartner (February 2014)

Increased demand for low-cost tablets from off-brand manufacturers especially in the emerging markets had a negative effect on Apple's market share. While overall tablet sales grew by 145 percent in emerging countries, the figure stood still at 31 percent in mature markets.

The iPad remains the most sought after tablet nonetheless and with that Apple retained its spot as the top tablet maker, followed by Samsung, which reported 37.4 million in sales, and had a market share of 19.1 percent. The South Korean company showed a phenomenal growth last year compared with 2012, when it sold just 8.5 million tablets.

Table 2: Worldwide Tablet Sales to End Users by Vendor, 2013 (Units)

Vendor	2013 Sales	2013 Market Share (%)	2012 Sales	2012 Market Share (%)
Apple	70,400,159	36.0	61,465,632	52.8
Samsung	37,411,921	19.1	8,583,146	7.4
ASUS	11,039,156	5.6	6,262,371	5.4
Amazon	9,401,846	4.8	7,707,800	6.6
Lenovo	6,525,762	3.3	2,186,993	1.9
Others	60,656,161	31.0	30,142,374	25.8
Total	195,435,004	100.0	116,348,317	100.0

Source: Gartner (February 2014) 

Overall, 195.4 million tablets were sold last year, up 68 percent from 2012.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/55878-android-outshines-ios-to-become-the-top-operating-system-for-tablets-worldwide.html

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

Wow. A couple things really stand out about that bottom table. There were 70,000,000 more tablets sold in 2013 than in 2012 and only 9 million of that increase went to Apple. Some of that is probably the sub $250 market where Apple doesn't have a product, but that doesn't explain Samsung's huge increase. It looks like Samsung's effort to make a tablet at every price range and then spend half your revenue on commercials has really paid off.

 

[Puiu]

Wow. A couple things really stand out about that bottom table. There were 70,000,000 more tablets sold in 2013 than in 2012 and only 9 million of that increase went to Apple. Some of that is probably the sub $250 market where Apple doesn't have a product, but that doesn't explain Samsung's huge increase. It looks like Samsung's effort to make a tablet at every price range and then spend half your revenue on commercials has really paid off.

pretty sure it's not samsung that has the bulk of cheap android tablet sales. way too many 100-200$ 7 inch tablets that have better hardware than samsung on the market to even count. but I do have to admit that samsung has quality better build quality.

 

[GhostRyder]

Droid was poised to take over the market eventually because of one key point...The price.

There are so many inexpensive tablets on the market that are 1/4 the price of a iPad and not everyone likes to spend 600+ dollars on a tablet. When it comes to kids especially because since the tablet has become a cheap way to get a kid an computer like object most parent do not want to spend that much money on a machine that may or may not get tons of use and could break.

 

[wastedkill]

Whoa apples market has slowed down a ton and android just blew up like double what apples were and apple only saw what a 9mill increase compared to androids double 120mill xD

Apple will be feeling the hurt tomorrow!

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

It's unsurprising really when you think about it. Not many people want to blow $600 on a device which is only really relevant for a year besides you can probably buy a cheap Chinese Android device in the middle of the Atacama desert for next to nothing. What's the chances of finding an iStore there? People who buy these cheap tablets aren't interested in keeping up with the Joneses

 

[Guest]

It should be painfully embarrassing that it took them this long to do it.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Got an android powered Asus tablet ~$129 Does the job for me, if it only allowed me to delete all the crap (yes I know, eventually I will root it)

 

[Guest]

I used to be an apple hater, that was untill I got my hands on a new ipad. I'm a pretty hardcore techno junkie and it takes a lot to impress me these days, but wow its really the amazing simplicity and awesome software support that makes the apple products dump loads all over android products. Or in other words androids app store is nowhere near as reliable and well design as apples. After using the simple design of apple products it annoys me to even go back to the windows operating system were its often a struggle to keep things running perfect. The ease of use and solid performance of the apple ecosystem is too good and makes everything else look like poorly designed slop. Considering all these hardware vendors don't pay for the android operating system, its worth paying the extra money for an apple product just think of it as investing in the better software apple produces.

 

[Skyland]

People need to realise that not a single other company came close to selling as many tablets as Apple did and that the tablets they did sell made those company's significantly less profit per unit.

These apple vs. android (every other significant company bundled together as one entity) comparisons are nothing short of pointless.

 

[tipstir]

Android has the lead with tablets because so many cheaper ones was sold at Walgreens, CVS, Target, Kmart, SEARS, Walmart. China Direct online. From 2010 all the way up to today. When Microsoft came it everyone had Android Tablets and the rest Apple Tablets. Today more Android tablets but they're the cheaper ones sold for some very low prices. Now that COBYUSA is out of business do to the fact Philip Electronics Corporation had sued COBY INTERNATIONAL over some media rights like 20 million. COBYUSA closed up in Aug 2013.

Thus giving Craig Electronics, Skytek, Visual Land and the rest of the cheaper tablets a break for it. Why spend $299 and up for a tablet when you can get Android tablet running for less money.

So here comes Apple with iPad for all sorts of high prices and then Microsoft doing the same with Surface RT, Pro. Then sales are not like they were for Android so. Android is on top. But Android vs Microsoft Tablet 7 didn't make it wonderful to use. Now Windows 8.1 Tablet different story, but you can work in Windows on Pro Tablet but still limited interaction with Android and Windows networks. There are ways around it but I tend to use my Windows Pro 8.1 tablet more than Android Tablet.

Trend seems like Android, Apple then Microsoft. Yeah it is that way. HP Web OS didn't take off so well and Blackberry Tablet flop. Android still on top of the market no matter who else is trying to get a piece of it. Apple has it fans but the software and the way they run their gear is completely different than Android or Microsoft. They all have a tablet now but which one would you but if you had enough to buy one. That's the question that should be ask?

Which one would you buy today?

Android Tablet
Apple Tablet
Microsoft Tablet

 

[Kibaruk]

My next tablet will be W8.1.

The idea of having full fledged windows and actually use it as a computer instead of trying to make an android tablet work as a computer sounds amazing.

 

[Nobina]

I find tablets incredibly useless. The only tablet I can consider not useless is the one with Windows cause it's almost a PC.

 

[Guest]

I wonder who generated the most revenue here.. not just from the total units sold..

 

[tipstir]

If you have Windows PC and your use too it, then you going to stick with it and buy the a Windows tablet. If you like Windows so much you would go for a Windows Smart Phone. Linux users got Android which runs on Linux code.

You remember Linux. Still around. So if your were a Linux user you would tend to go for Android tablet they also have Android all-in-ton 21.5 to 27-inch Android Desktop PC Touchscreen more like at Tablet just larger. I couldn't see myself buy that and just handing it on my wall. To me Android is missing something. Like Windows RT it missing something. When you get Windows Pro on table then the missing something is not present.

Android your limited to the OS it runs. Windows RT you limited no matter what. Window Pro not limited on Tablet. You buy a Windows Tablet and you bring home or to your business you can connect to home network easy and your up. Android you can do the same but I always felt limited. Sure I can access the shares. But the software is not the same.

Apple I never bother with it sure I have 16GB iPod N in my SUV since it supported it and I got that IPod for gift. That had quick working on me. They have that device sealed up. Like they don't want there customers tweaking it or getting their hands dirty. I like to see what was wrong with it and I fixed myself. But that's the only Apple device here. Windows 79%, Android 20% and Apple is 1% here roughly.

Right now I use Windows tablet more than all the Android tablets. Android to me just not the same like Windows. The Kindle on Android is better than Window Metro Kindle. I've notice that on Metro might look cool but functions of it seem slower.

 

[Guest]

I don't know why there are so much people whining about their tablets, mostly they regret buying android/iOS tablets because they were hoping their ARM tablets will be working like normal computer/laptop. IMHO it was their fault unable to determine what they actually needed..

 

[Kibaruk]

Well I did enjoy my android tablet once I got it, after a couple of months it became a dust holder, it could be a lot more powerful but the OS limits it to the kind of aplications you can install. Did try once to get a linux distro emulated on the tablet but since I had no bluetooth keyboard desisted on it.