Apple is no longer the top tablet vendor, at least in the UK, as Android tablets sold more than iPads in 2013.
The popularity of tablets has been growing rapidly in the recent years and reports suggest that tablet shipment may overtake PC shipments by 2015.
The portable aspect of a tablet, combined with PC functionality, makes it a better choice for customers who want to work, or wish to keep themselves entertained, on the go. Moreover, the easy availability of Internet on tablets has also contributed to the increased demand for the device.
iPads are among the most popular tablets around; however, according to analysts, sales of iOS tablets have reduced when compared to Android tablets.
According to Francisco Jeronimo, research director for European mobile devices at IDC, around 7.6 million tablets were shipped to the UK in the first three quarters of 2013, which is an increase by 192 percent when compared to the same period in 2012. Jeronimo says that the average price of the 7.6 million tablets was $407 each, which generated sales of around $3 billion (approximately £2.2 billion).
During the first three quarters, Apple's iPads acounted for only 38 percent and Android tablets occupied 56 percent of the market share.
Android tablets such as Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire range of tablets are relatively cheaper when compared to iPads. Jeronimo also points out that the emergence of cheaper Android tablets such as Tesco's own branded 7-inch tablet (Hudl), which is priced at £119, attracted many customers and in turn pushed Android tablet sales higher in the UK.
"Tablets under £100 have excellent gifting potential this Christmas," said Jeronimo. "Parents looking to give gifts to children and teenagers are unlikely to spend £400-500 on a tablet, so tablets sub-£100 are less of an investment and more of an attractive disposable gift that doesn't matter so much if it gets broken."
The data revealed by Jeronimo was collected for the first three quarters of this year when Apple did not launch its latest iPad Air and the Retina iPad mini.
