IDC: Apple's iPad took 83% share of tablets shipped in 2010
Contrasting Apple's recent claims that it controls more than 90 percent of the tablet market, research firm IDC revealed on Thursday that the iPad represented 73 percent of shipments in the fourth quarter of 2010, and 83 percent for the entire year.
IDC's "Worldwide Quarterly Media Tablet and eReader Tracker" found that 10.1 million "media tablets" were shipped in the fourth quarter of calendar 2010. During the holiday frame, Apple sold 7.3 million iPads, representing its strongest quarter of sales in the device's short history.
IDC categorizes media tablets as devices with color displays larger than 5 inches and smaller than 14 inches, running lightweight operating systems like Apple's iOS and Google's Android. Shipments of media tablets in the U.S., Western Europe and Asia/Pacific are said to have accounted for 89 percent of the total market in the fourth quarter of 2010.
The firm found that the Samsung Galaxy Tab was the primary competitor to Apple's iPad in the holiday quarter, representing 17 percent of shipments in the fourth quarter.
Apple's share of tablet shipments dipped from 93 percent in the third quarter to 73 percent at the end of 2010 as competitors entered the market. But Apple still captured an 83 percent share of shipped tablets for the total calendar year. IDC expects the iPad to retain between 70 percent and 80 percent of the market in 2011.
"Strong holiday sales of media tablets were in line with IDC projections and strong consumer interest in the category while device vendors scrambled to offer products competitive with Apple's iPad and now iPad 2," said Loren Loverde, vice president, Consumer Device Trackers. "Media Tablets are on pace to reach shipments of roughly 50 million units in 2011."
IDC's figures contradict market share statistics stated by Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs at last week's unveiling of the iPad 2. Jobs touted that the iPad has more than 90 percent market share while competitors are "flummoxed."
It's possible that some of the difference could be explained by hardware shipped versus what was actually sold. While Apple saw strong sales of more than 15 million iPads to end users in all of 2010, Samsung shipped about 2 million of the Galaxy Tab, though actual sales to end users remain unknown. One report also claimed that the Galaxy Tab has a 16 percent return rate with buyers.
IDC's "Worldwide Quarterly Media Tablet and eReader Tracker" found that 10.1 million "media tablets" were shipped in the fourth quarter of calendar 2010. During the holiday frame, Apple sold 7.3 million iPads, representing its strongest quarter of sales in the device's short history.
IDC categorizes media tablets as devices with color displays larger than 5 inches and smaller than 14 inches, running lightweight operating systems like Apple's iOS and Google's Android. Shipments of media tablets in the U.S., Western Europe and Asia/Pacific are said to have accounted for 89 percent of the total market in the fourth quarter of 2010.
The firm found that the Samsung Galaxy Tab was the primary competitor to Apple's iPad in the holiday quarter, representing 17 percent of shipments in the fourth quarter.
Apple's share of tablet shipments dipped from 93 percent in the third quarter to 73 percent at the end of 2010 as competitors entered the market. But Apple still captured an 83 percent share of shipped tablets for the total calendar year. IDC expects the iPad to retain between 70 percent and 80 percent of the market in 2011.
"Strong holiday sales of media tablets were in line with IDC projections and strong consumer interest in the category while device vendors scrambled to offer products competitive with Apple's iPad and now iPad 2," said Loren Loverde, vice president, Consumer Device Trackers. "Media Tablets are on pace to reach shipments of roughly 50 million units in 2011."
IDC's figures contradict market share statistics stated by Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs at last week's unveiling of the iPad 2. Jobs touted that the iPad has more than 90 percent market share while competitors are "flummoxed."
It's possible that some of the difference could be explained by hardware shipped versus what was actually sold. While Apple saw strong sales of more than 15 million iPads to end users in all of 2010, Samsung shipped about 2 million of the Galaxy Tab, though actual sales to end users remain unknown. One report also claimed that the Galaxy Tab has a 16 percent return rate with buyers.
Comments
Contrasting Apple's recent claims that it controls more than 90 percent of the tablet market, research firm IDC revealed on Thursday that the iPad represented 73 percent of shipments in the fourth quarter of 2010, and 83 percent for the entire year.
Calling the Galaxy Tab a tablet is like calling a Cessna a jumbo-jet.
Apple owns the tablet market. Got it.
Until the Xoom utterly destroys it and takes over.
until the xoom utterly destroys it and takes over.
2015?
Clearly, there's a big difference between shipped and sold. Sold is the only number that matters, not channel stuffing shipments. I also think this "media tablet" name for the category is quite stupid.
Still very good news for Apple though.
Apple's "shipped" equates to "sold" almost 100% whereas the other makers shipped to sold ratio is much lower. That means Apple could be considered to have something closer to 90% of the market at this point.
Pump and dump, dump and pump.
Until the Xoom utterly destroys it and takes over.
Xoom is a flop. Most people have already forgotten about it.
Calling the Galaxy Tab a tablet is like calling a Cessna a jumbo-jet.
Well if it's not a tablet what is it?
Well if it's not a tablet what is it?
An obese smartphone that doesn?t make calls.
Until the Xoom utterly destroys it and takes over.
That and the numerous other tablets set to launch in the coming years.
I'm inclined to think HP is the dark horse in this race. Soon they will be bundling WebOS on all their computer products and mobile devices. That will easily rival the installed base of Apple iOS and Mac OS before too long.
An obese smartphone that doesn?t make calls.
It's still a tablet in the same way that the iPod touch is.
It's still a tablet in the same way that the iPod touch is.
I agree, it’s fair to look at tablets that broadly if you choose. Mini-tablet? (I wonder what the tablet market looks like with the Touch thrown in!)
It's still a tablet in the same way that the iPod touch is.
The iPod touch is considered a tablet?
That and the numerous other tablets set to launch in the coming years.
I'm inclined to think HP is the dark horse in this race. Soon they will be bundling WebOS on all their computer products and mobile devices. That will easily rival the installed base of Apple iOS and Mac OS before too long.
I would agree, if HP has the chutzpah to push back against years of obedience to Microsoft. That is an uphill battle that will require an immense amount of determination and talent to implement. The mobile space may be their bellwether to see if they can manage and deliver against another platform like Apple, in order to assess what their potential success would be in releasing WebOS on the desktop. If they manage even 20% mobile penetration successfully, you can count that as a huge indication of their ability to deliver WebOS to the desktop market and deliver a significant blow to Redmond's hegemony in the desktop space. BUT and this is very important - they cannot go the Android route and leave things sparse and loose. If they are going to deliver, they will need to build out a mature platform as good or better than Apple. They will not be able to do that "soon" as you predict, without leveraging a large amount of internal resources - an unheard-of commitment they have not been able to make in other areas. Does HP have enough of an innovation culture to manage this, we haven't seen it demonstrated so far.
The caveats here are easy:
IF they can commit the resources, and
IF they can mature a serious platform delivery, and
IF they can demonstrate it with a year or so, then
they have a chance to rival the Apple platform.
As you can see not easy, not without serious commitment on their part, and you also have to remember that Apple is a fast, forward-moving target, not a slow-moving behemoth like Microsoft.
?Shipped.? Not a very interesting number. I really don?t think the Tab took anywhere near 1/7 of the iPad?s actual sales! That?s just not particularly plausible. (Which of course should exclude returns!)
I agree, it?s fair to look at tablets that broadly if you choose. Mini-tablet? (I wonder what the tablet market looks like with the Touch thrown in!)
The requirements used excluded the iPod Touch as a part of the "media tablet" category. It is arguable but an arbitrary set of requirements. I wonder who commissioned the report?
Xoom is a flop. Most people have already forgotten about it.
Heh, they failed on the screen, lame. Even the galaxy tab got that part right.
Xoom is a flop. Most people have already forgotten about it.
The big question is will Honeycomb be a flop. The Xoom isn't doing well because of price point not because it isnt a good tablet.