Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has a large corner of the tablet market in China. According to Reuters, results for the third quarter indicate that the iPad has approximately 71.4 percent of the Chinese tablet market. Although that number is slightly down from the second quarter, it’s still way ahead Lenovo, which claims 10.5 percent. The source of the data is from Analysis International research firm.
The tablet market in China has grown significantly, up 62.5 percent from 2011. Just this last quarter alone, there were 2.6 million tablets sold, up from last year’s 1.6 million.
Although the iPad dominated the Chinese market, they have lost ground to other tablets. ABI Research reports that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) only makes up about 55% of worldwide tablet shipments, a 14% decline from the iPad’s second quarter share. That’s the lowest number of since the device first debuted two years ago.
Another report from IDC says that the iPad’s share is even lower, placing it at 50.4 percent. Samsung takes second place with 18.4 percent, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is third place with 9 percent, and Asus takes fourth place with 8.6 percent.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is still currently in the lead but it’s predicted that Android will take the lead from Apple sometime in 2013. Android currently controls about 44 percent of the tablet market. Unlike Apple, which sells the iPad and iPad Mini exclusively, Android offers their operating system to a wider variety of devices, many of which are more budget friendly. As the tablet computer continues to catch on, more people will purchase tablets but not everyone will automatically reach for Apple.
Despite Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s gain in the market, I really don’t think Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has much to worry about. Even if more people opt for Android tablets, there will always be a market for iPads. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is synonymous for quality products and many people know that. They not only ‘invented’ the concept of a tablet, they perfected it.
