Android snatches 41 per cent share of Q3 tablet shipments

New Strategy Analytics data claims global tablet shipments reached 24.7m units in Q3, with Android powering 41 per cent – 10.2m – of the sales for the first time ever.
The Google OS's stronghold is up from 29 per cent in Q3 2011, though iOS tablet shipments slipped to 57 per cent – 14m – in Q3 2012 from 64 per cent last year.
Peter King, director at Strategy Analytics, said: "Global tablet shipments reached 24.7 million units in Q3 2012, rising a sluggish 43 percent from 17.2 million in Q3 2011.
"Demand for tablets slowed due to ongoing economic uncertainty and consumers holding off purchases in anticipation of multiple new models, like the iPad Mini, during the upcoming Q4 holiday season.
"Apple's slowdown allowed the Android community to make gains and Android's global share of the tablet market now stands at a record 41 percent."
Neil Mawston, executive director, Strategy Analytics, said: "No single Android vendor comes close to Apple in volume terms at the moment, but the collective weight of dozens of hardware partners, such as Asus, Samsung and Nook, is helping Google's Android platform to register a growing presence in tablets."
Other stats show that Microsoft secured a two per cent tablet share during the quarter, which is set to spike with the forthcoming release of the Surface tablet in Q4.

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