Telecom Lead India: Windows tablets including Windows 7 tablets, Windows RT and Windows 8 tablets are expected to grow from about 1 percent of the market in 2011 to 4 percent in 2012.
Windows tablets will have 11 percent market share by 2016, according to IDC.
Apple iOS will grow from 57.2 percent in 2011 to 60 percent in 2012 and 58 percent by 2016.
Android will slip from 38.9 percent to 35.3 percent, declining to 30.5 percent by 2016.
“Tablets running Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 and RT operating systems, including the company’s own Surface tablets, will add some momentum,” said Jennifer Song, research analyst for IDC’s Worldwide Trackers.
IDC said worldwide media tablet market will reach 117.1 million units in 2012.
In 2013, the size of media tablet market will be 165.9 million units. By 2016 worldwide shipments will reach 261.4 million units.
“Despite ongoing economic concerns in most regions of the world, consumers continue to buy tablets in record numbers and we expect particularly strong demand in the fourth quarter,” said Tom Mainelli, research director, Mobile Connected Devices at IDC.
Apple leads the market with its iPad. IDC expects its dominance to continue in the second half of the year.
IDC has significantly lowered its forecast for eReaders in 2012. After a disappointing first half of the year, and strong indications that sub-$200 tablets are significantly impacting demand, IDC now expects 2012 shipments to top out at 23.6 million units, down from the 27.7 million units that shipped in 2011.
