Tablets Up, iPad Down

According to IDC, the global top five tablet makers all have seen triple-digit growth in shipments during the second quarter, with the distinguished exception of Apple. While tablets market surge, Apple’s iPad numbers were down year-over-year without a new iPad during the quarter.

Yes, it is true that Apple is still the world’s leading tablet maker, but it stands alone among the top five tablet makers as the only one to see its
second-quarter shipments contract, according to new data published by
IDC.

The globally renowned market research firm has found that 45.6 million tablets shipped during the quarter, growth of nearly 60 percent from the same quarter of 2012. On the other hand, iPad shipments, were down 14.1 percent between April and June compared to the same time period a year ago.

US, Cupertin based Apple still contentedly holds the worldwide tablet leadership with its 14.6 million iPad shipments and 32.4 percent market share. Korean electronics major, Samsung has just over half the market share of tablets as Apple, but it’s gaining, thanks to triple-digit gains in shipments. Other tablet brands such as Asus, Lenovo and Acer are shipping small numbers of tablets compared to Apple and Samsung.

It is interesting to note that iPad’s year-over-year reduction puts it way under the market’s average growth in today’s global scenario. And according to analysts there’s a big reason for that too – Q2 2012 saw the debut of the third-generation iPad, and a huge quarter of iPad shipments for Apple, 17 million units, predictably followed.

On the other hand, without a new iPad during Q2 in 2013, the shipment numbers have suffered in a big way. And now that Apple has shifted its iPad yearly model upgrades to the fall — along with the iPhone and iOS — it’s going to be subject to these kinds of quarters that slow drastically in the off months today.