IDC data shows Android also rules the tablet market
More and more people are buying tablets, especially when you see them for less than $100 during holiday sales. IDC just released their latest tablet forecast that shows slower growth in 2013 and in the near future.
When Apple first released the iPad many people said there was no market for tablets and for most people they still remain a device for convenience and entertainment rather than an essential tool like a smartphone or a computer. I just bought a Nokia Lumia 2520 since it meets me entertainment needs at a lower price than my iPad.
It is interesting to see that smaller tablets have been on the rise over the last couple of years, while many have also been moving to larger phones. Will we see people moving back to smaller phones, like the Apple iPhone or Moto X as smaller tablet adoption rises?
Like the smartphone world, the majority of tablet share is held by Android with iOS in second place. Windows is in a very distant third place, much like Windows Phone as well.
The IDC forecast shows Windows gaining quite a bit of market share over the next four years with Android and iOS each losing some to make room for Windows. With Microsoft moving to a two platform strategy, I wonder if we will see Windows Phone tablets in the future to make up this market share or if the full version of Windows will run on more tablets.
Related ZDNet tablet coverage:
- The Nokia Lumia 2520: My week with the 'other' Windows ARM tablet
- Surface Pro: My week as engineer and train commuter
- iPad Air: Best tablet ever made
- Microsoft: We aren't going to have three different versions of Windows
- Apple iPad is out, Nokia Lumia 2520 is in, especially at a savings of more than $230