Apple's tablet market share suffers as tablet growth slows

Latest tablet data shows Apple's lead in the tablet market may be slipping through its fingers.

According to latest data by IDC, Apple saw a 16.1 percent decline year-over-year for the first quarter, dropping from 19.5 million shipments to 16.4 million shipments. That represents a 32.5 percent of the overall share, down from 40.2 percent in the first-quarter of 2013.

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Its nearest rival Samsung increased its share by 32 percent, up from 8.5 million shipments to 11.2 million shipments in the first quarter. The Korean electronics giant now takes a 22.3 percent slice of the market.

On Apple's second quarter earnings, chief executive Tim Cook explained why the company missed analyst expectations on iPad shipments. Apple was expected to sell 19.2 million iPads, but only brought in 16.35 million, which represents a decline in its tablet division by 16 percent. 

Cook said on the call that Apple increased iPad inventory whereas previously it was reduced, and also it was dealing with a backlog of iPad mini shipments. 

As for the rest of the market, IDC said the overall tablet market failed to grow as fast as expected. Over the 12-month period, the tablet market grew by 3.9 percent, down from previous expectations.

IDC called the slowdown "challenging" for the year ahead.

"The rise of large-screen phones and consumers who are holding on to their existing tablets for ever longer periods of time were both contributing factors to a weaker-than-anticipated quarter for tablets and 2-in-1s," IDC's Tom Mainelli said in prepared remarks. 

(Data: IDC)