IDC: iPad leads record worldwide tablet shipments but loses marketshare in Q4 2012
According to new data from research firm IDC, Apple's iPad led worldwide tablet shipments hit 51.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2012, but dipped in overall marketshare amid booming sales from rival Samsung.
Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker
For the December quarter, Apple's iPad shipments grew 48.1 percent year-over year to 22.9 million units, while shipments from Samsung skyrocketed 263 percent to reach 7.9 million units over the same period. It should be noted that Samsung's numbers include combined sales of the company's Android and Windows 8 products, and Apple's shipments included all iPad models.
The preliminary data comes from IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, which noted the 51.5 million overall tablet shipments represented a 75.3 percent year-to-year increase, up from 29.9 million units during the same time last year. Thought to have driven the huge growth were lower average selling prices for new devices and increased consumer spending during the holidays.
The numbers are in line with Apple's statement of 22.9 million iPad sales over the three month period, announced during the company's quarterly conference call for the first fiscal quarter of 2013.
"New product launches from the category's top vendors, as well as new entrant Microsoft, led to a surge in consumer interest and very robust shipments totals during the holiday season," said IDC Research Director of Tablets, Tom Mainelli. "The record-breaking quarter stands in stark contrast to the PC market, which saw shipments decline during the quarter for the first time in more than five years."
While Apple dropped in marketshare for the second consecutive quarter, the iPad and iPad mini still account for the majority of overall tablet shipments with a 43.6 percent share. Samsung came in second with 15.1 percent, while Amazon's Kindle range accounted for 11.5 percent of the market. Trailing the top three was Asus, which saw a massive 402.5 percent boost year-to-year on shipments of 3.1 million units, but dropped from 7.8 percent to 5.8 percent in quarterly marketshare.
As for Microsoft's Surface, the tablet failed to break into the top five with just under 900,000 units shipped after launching at the end of October. IDC program director for Mobile Device Trackers Ryan Reith believes the Redmond software giant is serious about competing in the tablet hardware space, but questions the company's market strategy.
"We believe that Microsoft and its partners need to quickly adjust to the market realities of smaller screens and lower prices," he said. "In the long run, consumers may grow to believe that high-end computing tablets with desktop operating systems are worth a higher premium than other tablets, but until then ASPs on Windows 8 and Windows RT devices need to come down to drive higher volumes."
Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker
For the December quarter, Apple's iPad shipments grew 48.1 percent year-over year to 22.9 million units, while shipments from Samsung skyrocketed 263 percent to reach 7.9 million units over the same period. It should be noted that Samsung's numbers include combined sales of the company's Android and Windows 8 products, and Apple's shipments included all iPad models.
The preliminary data comes from IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, which noted the 51.5 million overall tablet shipments represented a 75.3 percent year-to-year increase, up from 29.9 million units during the same time last year. Thought to have driven the huge growth were lower average selling prices for new devices and increased consumer spending during the holidays.
The numbers are in line with Apple's statement of 22.9 million iPad sales over the three month period, announced during the company's quarterly conference call for the first fiscal quarter of 2013.
"New product launches from the category's top vendors, as well as new entrant Microsoft, led to a surge in consumer interest and very robust shipments totals during the holiday season," said IDC Research Director of Tablets, Tom Mainelli. "The record-breaking quarter stands in stark contrast to the PC market, which saw shipments decline during the quarter for the first time in more than five years."
Chart: Top Five Worldwide Tablet Vendors, 2012Q4 Five Quarter Market Share Change (Units)Description: Worldwide Quarterly Tablet TrackerIDC's Worldwide Quarterly Tracker provides total market size and vendor share for both the Tablet and eReader markets in 46 countries. Detailed segmentation is provided by CPU, operating system, connectivity type, screen size and resolution, storage, distribution channel, and customer segment. Measurement for this tracker is in units, value, and end-user price. For more information, or to subscribe to the research, please contact Kathy Nagamine at 1-650-350-6423 or [email protected]. Further detail about this tracker can be found at:http://www.idc.com/tracker/showproductinfo.jsp?prod_id=81Tags: Samsung, Apple, Amazon, Asus, Barnes Noble Tablet, IDC, tracker, Q4 2012, 4Q 2012, market share, galaxy, iPad, Kindle, Transformer, Nook, 2012Q4Author: IDCcharts powered by iCharts
While Apple dropped in marketshare for the second consecutive quarter, the iPad and iPad mini still account for the majority of overall tablet shipments with a 43.6 percent share. Samsung came in second with 15.1 percent, while Amazon's Kindle range accounted for 11.5 percent of the market. Trailing the top three was Asus, which saw a massive 402.5 percent boost year-to-year on shipments of 3.1 million units, but dropped from 7.8 percent to 5.8 percent in quarterly marketshare.
As for Microsoft's Surface, the tablet failed to break into the top five with just under 900,000 units shipped after launching at the end of October. IDC program director for Mobile Device Trackers Ryan Reith believes the Redmond software giant is serious about competing in the tablet hardware space, but questions the company's market strategy.
"We believe that Microsoft and its partners need to quickly adjust to the market realities of smaller screens and lower prices," he said. "In the long run, consumers may grow to believe that high-end computing tablets with desktop operating systems are worth a higher premium than other tablets, but until then ASPs on Windows 8 and Windows RT devices need to come down to drive higher volumes."
Comments
Looking back at the recent court case between Apple and Samsung, figures released by Samsung were far far lower than any of these companies had estimated/guessed. This alone is enough to cast doubt on their report.
I'm assuming the return rate is still very high for everyone else too?
In both the tablet and the smartphone categories there are additional yet-to-be-introduced factors to be added to this equation.
1. Wait until Samsung's customers discover the rarity of software updates.
2. Wait until they start to experience hardware technical issues.
3. Wait until they get to experience Samsung's customer service dealing with those issues.
Wait until they begin to realise that Samsung is in this for the quick buck, not the long haul, with their devices, and that their true motto is:
YOU WANT IMPROVEMENTS?
BUY 'EM.
Then watch for the swing to alternatives.
This 'marketshare' stat is so fucking asinine in this situation.
Let's say I sell 100 widgets in year one while my competitors sell 1.
I sell 1000 widgets in year 2 while my competitors sell 11
OH NOES MY MARKETSHARE WENT DOWN
The iPad is following the exact same pattern as the iPod, whose marketshare almost decreased once an explosion of similar mp3 players were spammed to market by competitors. The iPod stayed the course, and eventually marketshare went back up as people realized most of these other products were shit, and Apple kept improving their product. Apple is in this for the long haul and they see the big picture. Marketshare will fluctuate, especially considering how a tablet is defined with the introduction of the surface, but Apple is still in the best possible position in this market to leverage their product.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slurpy
The iPad is following the exact same pattern as the iPod, whose marketshare almost decreased once an explosion of similar mp3 players were spammed to market by competitors. The iPod stayed the course, and eventually marketshare went back up as people realized most of these other products were shit, and Apple kept improving their product. Apple is in this for the long haul and they see the big picture.
Definitely.
Apple needs to give some love to the Mac Pro (because I want to get one), push out the lighter and thinner iPad 5, announce the Retina Mini... but when, is pretty much their choice, and people will buy as many as Apple puts for sale.
Apple's problem was the mini. Another 5 million minis sold and they reach 49%, another 10m and 53% etc. They needed to have that supply chain running well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sensi
It would be interesting to know if Android passed iOS market share on tablets. Any other breakdown of the numbers available for the "others" vendors?
Its unlikely they are all making their own OS. So probably Android.
Quote:
Originally Posted by saarek
Guess this is the old shipped vs sold chestnut. Every iPad shipped is essentially sold, you can't say the same for everyone else.
I'm assuming the return rate is still very high for everyone else too?
How long are you going to hang onto these two outdated myths? We've saying the same two things about smartphones and Samsung keeps surging. If Samsung is only shipping and not selling, where is the write down in their reports?
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTR
In both the tablet and the smartphone categories there are additional yet-to-be-introduced factors to be added to this equation.
1. Wait until Samsung's customers discover the rarity of software updates.
2. Wait until they start to experience hardware technical issues.
3. Wait until they get to experience Samsung's customer service dealing with those issues.
Wait until they begin to realise that Samsung is in this for the quick buck, not the long haul, with their devices, and that their true motto is:
YOU WANT IMPROVEMENTS?
BUY 'EM.
Then watch for the swing to alternatives.
Again, you are repeating the same reaction that we all had we first saw the surge in Samsung sales of Galaxy smartphoens. How's that working out?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sensi
It would be interesting to know if Android passed iOS market share on tablets. Any other breakdown of the numbers available for the "others" vendors?
Does it matter? Fact is that iPad sales is still growing but so is the overall market.
Quote:
Originally Posted by asdasd
Apple's problem was the mini. Another 5 million minis sold and they reach 49%, another 10m and 53% etc. They needed to have that supply chain running well.
Your math is based on the assumption that there are 5M customers who wanted to buy the Mini but are either still on the waiting list or gave up waiting. Do you honestly believe this?
If you all allow yourselves to step outside your Apple-biased minds for a moment, can you not see to you are clinging to the world of 2011? As long as Apple is still growing in sales, does it matter that much to you whether Android tablets are growing? Do you have to see Samsung and Google die to make Apple's success sweet? The tablet market is headed in the same direction as the smartphone market: Samsung v. Apple rather than Android v. iOS, except for one difference: Amazon. And that will make the tablet world far more interesting to watch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slurpy
This 'marketshare' stat is so fucking asinine in this situation.
Let's say I sell 100 widgets in year one while my competitors sell 1.
I sell 1000 widgets in year 2 while my competitors sell 11
OH NOES MY MARKETSHARE WENT DOWN
The iPad is following the exact same pattern as the iPod, whose marketshare almost decreased once an explosion of similar mp3 players were spammed to market by competitors. The iPod stayed the course, and eventually marketshare went back up as people realized most of these other products were shit, and Apple kept improving their product. Apple is in this for the long haul and they see the big picture. Marketshare will fluctuate, especially considering how a tablet is defined with the introduction of the surface, but Apple is still in the best possible position in this market to leverage their product.
Add in the fact that Apple products tend to have longer life spans after being sold - what percentage of iPads ever sold are still in use (have not been destroyed or broken etc) compared to how many non-Apple tablets have been trashed.
I just read another day that a third of Android tablets selling "worldwide" is from Amazon's which is US only. Go figures.
Quote:
Originally Posted by matrix07
I just read another day that a third of Android tablets selling "worldwide" is from Amazon's which is US only. Go figures.
I sent a news article to AI the other day that showed nearly all Android tablet sales were US, somewhere around 90% or more IIRC. I'll see if I can find it again.
Where do these numbers come from since no one besides Apple really releases sales figures? I'm assuming then that IDC is just just doing a lot of estimating? But estimating based on what?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogifan
Where do these numbers come from since no one besides Apple really releases sales figures? I'm assuming then that IDC is just just doing a lot of estimating? But estimating based on what?
http://www.idc.com/about/methodology.jsp?t=1359636920116#.UQppyx0YuME
Quote:
Originally Posted by ankleskater
Your math is based on the assumption that there are 5M customers who wanted to buy the Mini but are either still on the waiting list or gave up waiting. Do you honestly believe this?
If you all allow yourselves to step outside your Apple-biased minds for a moment, can you not see to you are clinging to the world of 2011? As long as Apple is still growing in sales, does it matter that much to you whether Android tablets are growing? Do you have to see Samsung and Google die to make Apple's success sweet? The tablet market is headed in the same direction as the smartphone market: Samsung v. Apple rather than Android v. iOS, except for one difference: Amazon. And that will make the tablet world far more interesting to watch.
My math is based on that yes. It was the ultimate consumer season, the season of gift giving. A mini is an obvious gift - cheap enough, top brand ( for now). Best ecosystem. So people bought, for their friends and families what was available. Some - if buying for themselves - waited. Others bought for friends and those guys are in a different platform now, some for life.. I see some of these lost sales as permanent losses to the competition.
To your second point: iOS is a platform, and it needs to have a large percentage of that platform. The actual numbers matter less than people think, for developers ( rather for software companies - the bedroom dev is so 2007).
Look at the increase in Mac sales recently, and the relatively slow increase in applications, or games.
here is how the world works.
1) The market for tablets is 100M, Apple is at 90%, Apple is top dog.
2) The market is 1B, Apple is 9%, Apple is a bit player in every company which is producing apps for tablets ( except for occasional niche single platform software devs, small shops in general).
Say it's 2): Meeting at a software dev house. Finance, Marketing etc. All have non-Apple tablets.Discussing spending and future products:Android will always be first, and iOS second if at all. This is true regardless of the size of the overall market.
There will be far more companies in a 1B tablet per year market, but that meeting will have the same results in all of them, so if iOS is only 10% of that market it will be in the same position as the Mac. Software comes later, or never.
"Although IDC maintains a philosophy of fitting the methodology to the market segment, all of our studies share a core set of methodological elements and approaches. These elements consist of demand-side data, data integrity cross-checks, global data collection and analysis at regional and local levels, verification and updating of segmentation, supplier models, distribution channel models, analysis of external drivers and linkages, and vision of the future."
That's a lot of words to say "we pulled the numbers out of our butts".
There's a lot of speculation involved and a lot of estimation. In theory, that could provide good numbers if your data is good. But history says that the numbers generated by groups like IDC grossly overestimate Android sales (as shown when Samsung finally produced data in the Apple/Samsung trial). If they are historically overestimating the numbers, there's a credibility issue.
The only tablets I ever see are the iPad, Nexus 7, and a few Kindle's. (in that order) Nothing else ever. This report doesn't make sense...who's buying these Samsung tablets??
Now there's a stupid statement.
Majority market share implies over 50%.
It should say something like "Apple has the largest individual share..."