IHS on Wednesday shared global tablet market share report for the third quarter of 2013. Apple tablet market share dipped to 29.7 percent in Q3 from 33.5 percent in Q2. Samsung share increased to 22.2 percent from 19.9 percent.
Asus share grew to 7.2 percent from 4.3 percent.
Lenovo tablet market share increased to 4.8 percent from 2.7 percent.
Acer market share decreased to 1.9 percent from 2.6 percent.
Total tablet shipments reached 48,009,000 in the third quarter against 43,627,000 in the second quarter of 2012, IHS said.
IHS said Apple’s weaker shipment was primarily due to a shift in the company’s product release cycle. The lack of a second-quarter product release and anticipation of a fourth-quarter product update resulted in weak sales in the third quarter.
Samsung, the South Korean electronics giant, has expanded its tablet lineup over the past year, mirroring the approach that has brought it success in the smartphone market, with an array of offerings geared to hit a variety of price points.
The surge in sub-$250 alternatives catapulted Android to the leading operating system in tablets in the third quarter of 2013.
Asus of Taiwan, which recently launched the second generation of its popular Nexus 7 tablet, had substantially stronger quarter-on-quarter growth than either Apple or Samsung at an 87 percent expansion.
Lenovo’s strong regional presence in China played a large role in its 94.6 percent quarter-over-quarter growth, but equally important is its strength in Europe and in emerging markets such as Latin America.
Amazon has struggled to compete globally, as the market has shifted from one centered in North America to Europe, China, and emerging markets.
