The Android tablet market is expected to top the 2013 market share and remain on top for the next few years.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), the organization had initially predicted 172.4 million units of tablets to be sold in 2013, however, a new forecast has led them to change their figures.
The IDC is now predicting 190.9 million tablets will be sold in 2013 as the Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker estimates tablet shipments will hit 350 million by the end of 2017.
The IDC has further provided a forecast for 2017, which shows the tablet market share of Android, Apple's iOS, Windows, Windows RT, and other mobile operating systems. In 2017, Android will remain on top.
"One in every two tablets shipped this quarter was below 8 inches in screen size. And in terms of shipments, we expect smaller tablets to continue growing in 2013 and beyond" said IDC's Tablet Tracker Research Analyst Jitesh Ubrani. "Vendors are moving quickly to compete in this space as consumers realize that these small devices are often more ideal than larger tablets for their daily consumption habits."
According to the IDC, Android-based tablets saw an increase in the market share in 2012 and expects it to increase for 2013 with 48.8 percent compared 41.5 percent IDC initially forecasted.
Apple's iOS dominated 2012 with 51 percent of the market share but is also predicted to slip to second with 46 percent.
Microsoft's Windows is expected to grow.
"Microsoft's decision to push two different tablet operating systems, Windows 8 and Windows RT, has yielded poor results in the market so far," said Tom Mainelli, Research Director, Tablets. "Consumers aren't buying Windows RT's value proposition, and long term we think Microsoft and its partners would be better served by focusing their attention on improving Windows 8. Such a focus could drive better share growth in the tablet category down the road."
The IDC touts itself as the top global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. The organization has more than 1,000 analysts in over 110 countries.
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