Apple’s Tim Cook recently described 2011 as the year of the iPad. Now new figures from Strategy Analytics show how much of a hold the Apple iOS has over its tablet rivals.
The fourth quarter of 2011 saw almost 27 million tablets shipped worldwide, according to the Strategy Analytics Tablet & Touchscreen service. 39.1% of these were Android devices - up from 29% in Q4 2010 to a new high for the OS - while Apple iOS maintained its strong leadership with 57.6%.
Peter King, Director at Strategy Analytics, said “Global tablet shipments reached an all-time high of 26.8 million units in Q4 2011, surging 150 percent from 10.7 million in Q4 2010. Demand for tablets among consumer, business and education users remains strong. Apple shipped a robust 15.4 million iPads worldwide and maintained its strong market leadership with 58 percent share during the fourth quarter of 2011. Apple shrugged off the much-hyped threat from entry-level Android models this quarter.”
A total of 66.9 million tablets were shipped in 2011, which is a 260% increase from 2010.
[Global Tablet OS Market Share report]