Apple may still be reigning in the world of tablets, but 2013 could be the year that changes Apple’s fortunes in this category. First it was the competition from low-cost Android tablets like the Google Nexus and the Amazon Kindle Fire, which then gave way to Microsoft’s Surface RT and Pro high-end tablets. But with the Galaxy Note 8.0 launching soon, will it spell Apple’s downfall?
Apple’s iPad and iPad Mini tablets managed to account for 48 percent of worldwide tablet sales up to Q1 of 2013, but others are playing catch-up. Microsoft managed to increase its share to 7.5 percent, in a market that’s witnessing quite the boom – sales have been up by 118 percent in comparison with Q1 of 2012. Last year, during the same period, Apple accounted for 63 percent of the tablet market – and that was even before the iPad Mini was introduced.
But over the past year, a number of new tablets have entered the fray, offering similar or even better features at more competitive prices. And Apple’s biggest threat in the form of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8.0 is yet to hit the markets. So far, the tablet has garnered quite a bit of positive media attention, some even calling it the iPad Mini killer.
Along with Samsung, most likely, Microsoft would unveil its new Windows Blue later this year, making their tablets a lot more user friendly, possibly pulling away more of Apple’s share.