iPad domination to decline but Android to fall too

Apple's domination in the tablet space is set to slip a little this year, IDC has predicted.

The iPad maker currently holds 68.3 per cent market share, although IDC expects this to fall closer to 50 per cent before the year is up as new models come to market.

"Apple's iOS share will continue to lead by more than 40 percentage points over Google's Android for the remainder of the year, but we expect Apple's share to fall closer to 50 per cent by the end of the forecast period," said IDC analyst Jennifer Song.

Whilst many would expect Android to be gaining significant market share as iOS declines, IDC thinks otherwise.

We expect Apple's share to fall closer to 50 per cent by the end of the forecast period.

In the second quarter of 2011, Android devices' collective market share slipped to 26.8 per cent, down from 34 per cent from the previous quarter. In the third quarter, IDC predicted this will fall to 23 per cent, before regaining a little ground in the final three months of the year.

Beyond that point, Android should continue to build its market share, IDC said.

As for the rumoured Amazon tablet, IDC said it will most likely not even class it in the tablet category.

"We're also expecting Amazon's much-rumored, color LCD-based device to ship later this year," said Tom Mainelli, research director. "Because we expect it to run a customised version of Android that ties its use to Amazon's content services, we expect the device to more closely resemble Barnes & Noble's Colour Nook than Apple's iPad 2. As a result, our current plan is to count it as an eReader."

Earlier this week a Kantar Worldpanel ComTech survey found half of potential UK tablet buyers would purchase an iPad over the next year.