IDG: More future tablet buyers will opt for Android over iPad

Android is poised to outpace iPad sales in the enterprise market within the next 12 months, according to technology media company International Data Group.

For reference, IDG polled 3,124 IT and business professionals worldwide. Approximately 71 percent of respondents said they own a tablet, and 51 percent of that group have an iPad. But more first-time buyers replied that they would get an Android-based model in the next year at 44 percent of the group, compared to only 27 percent for the iPad.

Kathryn Cave, an editor at IDG Connect, explained in the report that BYOD is going to play heavily into this trend.

"These findings signify changes in work mobile consumption and market leadership in the tablet arena," Cave continued. "They also have implications for business in emerging regions, IT security and marketers worldwide."

However, these findings go sharply against many reports finding that the iPad, which at the heart of things is still a consumer product, is the go-to tablet in the enterprise world currently.

It might be a bit outdated now, but last October, Good Technology published a report finding that the iPad was the primary driver for iOS in the enterprise space. At that time, iOS tablets reportedly represented over 96 percent of total business tablet activations, while Android accounted for roughly the remaining 4 percent.

Although IDG's predictions would be revealed to be true or not at least a year from now, it still seems like quite a turnaround from figures like this that quickly. Although Android dominates the smartphone market, iOS is still the undisputed leader. Surely, that could change over the next five years, but one year seems almost too optimistic or drastic, depending on how you want to look at it.

Nevertheless, geography might be the linchpin for Android here -- especially in developing markets where cheaper Android tablets could really soar. For example, IDG found that Android is the likely choice for the highest proportion of future buyers in Africa, but preference for an iPad was much higher in North America and Australia/New Zealand.

Seeing how it doesn't look like Apple is going to price a new iPad below $499 anytime soon, Android could corner developing markets around the world thanks to tablets priced at $199 and lower. If that is the case, then we could definitely see Android outpace iOS in the global business tablet market.

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