Android’s Market Dominance Extends to Tablets

It’s official: the Android operating system is now the market leader in the world of tablets.

Worldwide sales of Android OS-powered tablets rose from 53 million units in 2012 to almost 121 million units in 2013, marking a 68 percent jump. The huge leap forward allowed Android to wrest the top tablet sales position away from Apple, which saw the iPad decline from a 52.8 percent market share in 2012 to just a 36 percent market share in 2013.

Tablets are largely a two-horse race, with Microsoft coming in a distant third with a market share of just 2.1 percent. However, analysts note that Microsoft’s Windows 8 tablets are performing well in markets where productivity is a primary concern.

A major reason why Android-powered tablets are making such leaps and bounds is their price tags. Relative to iPads, Android OS tablets are relatively affordable, with more products priced at lower points. However, it’s not just the bottom line that’s boosting sales; even lower-end Android tablets offer “adequate” computing power and tech specifications.

For many Android-compatible tablet manufacturers, the continued value proposition lies in the massive increases in sales volumes. Industry insiders expect that Android-powered tablets will eventually move towards subscription-based services and advertising to help manufacturers reduce customer turnover rates.

At this point iPad app developers should not fret — though Android is making inroads in terms of market share, Apple’s user base is extremely faithful. Because Apple offers higher-end products and has superior margins, they continue to earn more profits from tablet sales than their competitors.

For NYC iPhone app development professionals, the news probably doesn’t come as a surprise. When smartphone sales numbers for 2013 were tallied up, Android-powered devices posted a similar lead over the iPhone in terms of market share. However, iPhones are still considered a premium product with hundreds of millions of loyal users.