Tablet market begins to slump due to poor Android sales

Poor sales of Android tablets is having a negative effect upon the overall tablet market, with a sharp decline in shipments across the sector.

The fourth quarter of 2011 saw record-breaking shipments of 28.2 million units, partly due to Christmas sales, but the first quarter of 2012 saw a large drop, even bigger than that expected when the normal seasonal slowdown is taken into consideration.The International Data Corporation (IDC) predicted a drop of 34 percent, but the figure was 38.4 percent, with strong sales from Apple failing to make up for a steep drop in Android shipments.Apple shipped 15.4 million iPads in the fourth quarter of 2011, but that figure dropped to 11.8 million in the first quarter of this year. Its market share increased from 54.7 percent to 68 percent, however, ensuring it remains in first place.Amazon showed strong potential in the fourth quarter of 2011, shipping 4.8 million units and grabbing 16.8 percent of the market, but this share fell to just over 4 percent in the first quarter, allowing Samsung to regain its spot in second place.Despite the weakness in Android shipments, IDC predicts that they will rebound quickly, particularly with new products from Samsung and Lenovo, which many see as viable alternatives to the iPad. New low-cost products from Amazon and Google will also play a huge role in restoring the might of Android.The launch of Windows 8-based tablets in the fourth quarter of this year will have a dramatic effect on the market, with the effect of Microsofts operating system yet to be determined. IDC predicts that Apple will stay in top place and that it will be the runners-up who will be competing most fiercely.