Android Finally Making Gains In Tablet Market, Maybe
Strategy Analytics just released a report stating that tablets running Android have increased in market share from this time last year. It looks like the iPad may get a run for its money after all- or maybe not. Tech writer Kevin C. Tofel at Gigaom talks about his skepticism of the report. Is it over-inflating Android’s progress in the tablet market?
Strategy Analytics’ report, as summarized by Fierce Wireless and subsequently reported by Bloomberg claims that Apple’s share of the market has decreased from 95.5 percent of the market share to only 66.6 percent from 12 months ago. Additionally, Android is claimed to have increased its market share from 2.3 to 26.9 percent within the same 12-month period of time.
Tofel is asserting that the numbers don’t add up. While he is not questioning the integrity of the analytical organization, he calls into question how it is possible that Android could be making such progress when there have not been any real changes in the Android tablet industry.
First of all, Tofel claims that the report analyses the amount of tablets “sold” by Apple versus the amount of Android-based tablets “shipped”. I disagree with his statement. It clearly states on Strategy Analytics’ website that, “This report contains quarterly global tablet shipments by operating system from Q1 2010 through Q3 2011.”
Tofel also questions the definition of an Android tablet. He mentions that tablets have been running early versions of Android’s operating system since mid 2010, but that Honeycomb, the operating system dedicated to tablets, only hit the market in February of 2011. He also mentions that the Barnes & Noble Nook could be considered an Android device when modified. He asked the original writer of the report, Neil Mawston, about this. Mawston’s responded with the following: “All sub-versions of Android are included. Yes, the B&N Nook Color tablet is included in the tablet figures.” Tofel is right. The definition of “Android tablet” does appear to be fairly broad.
One more thing, and really it’s his main reason for questioning the report, is that Tofel seems to be blown away at how Android tablets are making headway when no real changes have been made to cause consumers to start buying up non-iPad devices. He is right about that, too. There has not been much to improve on tablet performance over the past 12 months. Ice Cream Sandwich was just recently unveiled, but its effects are not included in this report.
I think the problem is with the idea that Android is “growing exponentially.” It is really not. It has been increasing steadily in market share over the past 12 months. Every quarter, analysts report on Android’s growth. In the third quarter of 2010, Apple dominated the market share with 95 percent. Tablets were practically unheard of before the iPad came out. By August of 2011, Android owned 20 percent of the tablet market share.
The tablet market is a wild card. Buzz is generated every day as to what the next “iPad Killer” will be. It makes sense that Android tablets are on the rise. They certainly have a long way to go before they are actually competing with the iPad. I, for one, welcome the challenge. I think it will keep Apple on its toes to come up with new and exciting changes for future tablets.