Tablet Sales up 75% as Samsung and Asus Gain on Apple

The tablet market has grown by more than 75 percent in the last year, and while Apple still tops the list, Samsung and Asus have gained ground on the iPad-maker.

Microsoft's Surface shipped 900,000 units in the final three months of 2102, failing to make a significant impact on the tablet market. (Credit: Reuters)

The growth in the tablet market is reflected in the continued decline in the PC market, with consumers choosing to replace their laptops with tablets rather than purchasing both. Lower average selling prices, a much wider range of form factors and sizes; as well as increased Christmas spending pushed shipments in the final three months of 2012 to 52.5 million - up from 29.9 million the previous year.

Preliminary tablets sales figures from the International Data Corporation (IDC) show that Apple continues to be the dominant force in tablets, with its iPad andiPad mini selling 22.9 million units during the three month period, giving it a 43 percent market share. However, while shipments were up (from 15.1 million) it's market share has dropped from 48.1 percent.

This is as a result of even bigger growth by Samsung and Asus during the quarter. Samsung shipped 7.9m tablets, up from 2.2 million in the previous year, growth of 263 percent, while Asus, who manufactures the popular Nexus 7 tablet, saw growth of 402 percent, shipping 3.1 million Android and Windows 8 tablets during the quarter.

Amazon, which launched its Kindle Fire range of tablets globally in the final quarter of 2012, saw modest growth in comparison to Samsung and Asus, shipping 6 million tablets, up from 4.7 million the previous year.

While Apple is still far-and-away the market leader, Samsung, Amazon and Asus are now beginning to make a serious impact on its market share, which will be worrying for the Cupertino-based company.

US book seller, Barnes and Noble was the only manufactuer in the top five to see a drop in its shipments, from 1.4 million of it Nook tablets during the fourth quarter of 2011, to just one million in the same period in 2012.