IDC Predicts Android Tablet Shipments Will Overtake iPad Shipments in 2013

[linkgx1]

What's the point of android shipment numbers when so many of them just don't sell?

So you're telling me that stores would accept these items knowing that they would just collect dust and pay for them?

 

[BaldiMac]

So you're telling me that stores would accept these items knowing that they would just collect dust and pay for them?

No. They accept shipments thinking they might sell. Some products don't.

 

[linkgx1]

No. They accept shipments thinking they might sell. Some products don't.

But if they knew that these companies didn't sell at all, then they wouldn't accept them.


You have to have a track record of some sort to have them shipped.

It's not a bad thing, it just means that you have to be very careful if you are an investor in the company. If shipments are increasing year over year, then that's a very very good indicator the products are selling.

 

[winston1236]

Shipments - maybe. Sales - no.

Sales yes. Apple is stale and on the decline. Thats a fact.

 

[BaldiMac]

But if they knew that these companies didn't sell at all, then they wouldn't accept them.

No one said anything about not selling at all. You act like every business is hyper-competent. They're not. Sometimes they order too many. Sometimes they flood the channel with what the think will be a hit, but it fails.

You have to have a track record of some sort to have them shipped.

Maybe. But track record does not always equal future success. Lots of new companies fail.

It's not a bad thing, it just means that you have to be very careful if you are an investor in the company. If shipments are increasing year over year, then that's a very very good indicator the products are selling.

Absolutely.

----------

Sales yes. Apple is stale and on the decline. Thats a fact.

Maybe in the future. Or an alternate reality.

 

[osofast240sx]

But if they knew that these companies didn't sell at all, then they wouldn't accept them.


You have to have a track record of some sort to have them shipped.

It's not a bad thing, it just means that you have to be very careful if you are an investor in the company. If shipments are increasing year over year, then that's a very very good indicator the products are selling.

I remember unsold items at Home Depot was thrown into a crusher and recycled. Claimed as a loss and written off. I'm sure the auto industry does this sor of thing also.

 

[Corrode]

Granted, The Android tablets suck ass. But judging by the amount of time your son spends on his iPad, it sounds more like you are in need of parrenting advice, than his friends are in need of iPads. No offence intended.

And MacRumours readers strike again with life advice for the whole family! Always ready to tell you how to you live your life, especially when you didn't ask!

 

[Johnny JiveJobs]

My son has an iPad Mini, 2 of his friends have Android tablets. Both of his friends tablets collect dust in their bedrooms and they barely use them. My son uses his iPad Mini hourly, sometimes 6-8 hours out of a day. He has said his friends wish they had an iPad instead of the Android tablets. Apple makes the best hardware and eco-system, they will continue to dominate until the competitors make a better eco-system to go with the cheap hardware.

Hmm thats very worrying your son spends 6-8 hours a day on a closed OS...can't possibly be healthy

But whats more worrying is you know what is in his friends bedrooms oO

IMHO the Nexus tablets are superior certainly bang for buck, my sisters iPad shattered (in a case) after falling 2 foot from her lap onto the ground while getting out of the car. And from what I read this is very common. Small fall = smashed iPad, Apple really needs to improve the quality of their devices.

 

[etrinh]

Maybe you can make money with a lot of sales but eventually the "cheapness" catches up with you. I'd rather Apple stick with their original game plan and make quality products that last me a long time than to chase after the latest and greatest. I'm very tempted to try a Samsung device but then I'll just be like the many others trying to keep up with tech rather than using what works well.

I have a 4S and iPad2. I would like to get a lighter iPad when they redesign it. Phone wise I am satisfied with the "3G" speed. I'm satisfied with the screen size. The iPad2 is a bit heavy for prolonged use.

Not sure what's funny about them. The report is silly. And even more silly is that its getting so much ink. Obviously if you have a half dozen or dozen companies selling tablets they'll probably outsell the iPad, especially if they're cheaper. The analysis should be who in the Android space will dominate. And can make any money off these tablets. Google and Amazon might be able to afford selling hardware at cost but can all these OEM's? They're clearly all in a race to the bottom price wise because there's nothing to really differentiate them. I guess they can all put their own skins on Android but don't most Android users prefer stock Android? What else does Asus, Acer, Sony, Lenovo, HP, etc. have to get someone to buy their version of an Android tablet other than theirs is the cheapest?

 

[maxosx]

Only time will tell.

 

[phpmaven]

Sorry, I don't believe it for a minute.

 

[0000757]

But why? Android is horrible on tablets.

 

[AppleScruff1]

But why? Android is horrible on tablets.

How about Jelly Bean?

 

[HarryKNN21]

My son has an iPad Mini, 2 of his friends have Android tablets. Both of his friends tablets collect dust in their bedrooms and they barely use them. My son uses his iPad Mini hourly, sometimes 6-8 hours out of a day. He has said his friends wish they had an iPad instead of the Android tablets. Apple makes the best hardware and eco-system, they will continue to dominate until the competitors make a better eco-system to go with the cheap hardware.

I have one of the "Top-end" Android tablet, the TF700, but I still agree with what you say. Android tablets may well be a new generation of netbooks but honestly they are not for gaming, definitely not.

However it's not always the manufacturer's fault, but I think Android still cannot pull a high resolution screen smoothly, no matter how many RAM that device has. I have rooted my TF700, flashed in new ROM and flashed a new kernel which can OC the Tegra 3 inside to 1.9 GHz, it is much faster now, gaming on it is much smoother, but for gaming wise I will still use my iPod Touch 5.

Thus I think Android could dominate the eco-system only if Google really invests in overhauling the whole Android eco-system. Asking users to root their devices to get smooth experience is just idiotic.

Hmm thats very worrying your son spends 6-8 hours a day on a closed OS...can't possibly be healthy

But whats more worrying is you know what is in his friends bedrooms oO

IMHO the Nexus tablets are superior certainly bang for buck, my sisters iPad shattered (in a case) after falling 2 foot from her lap onto the ground while getting out of the car. And from what I read this is very common. Small fall = smashed iPad, Apple really needs to improve the quality of their devices.

So in your mind a Tablet is designed to fall? I wonder if you are using a Hummer H1 as your family car.

I can't imagine what would happen after falling my MBP from my desk to a concrete surface too.

How about Jelly Bean?

Android system from 4.0.1 onwards are pointless upgrades and hardware eaters. I wish my One X could be downgraded to 2.3.6

 

[dba415]

But why? Android is horrible on tablets.

If you think Android is horrible on tablets, then you have to think that iOS is even worse on the iPad as well surely.

The homescreen, which is just a grid of icons, on a large screen looks disastrous. Absolutely horrible.

 

[blackhand1001]

If android tablets are so crappy, then how do you explain the average customer review ratings of this?


http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung...Gray/5587686.p?id=1218668288366&skuId=5587686

 

[Michael Scrip]

If you think Android is horrible on tablets, then you have to think that iOS is even worse on the iPad as well surely.

The homescreen, which is just a grid of icons, on a large screen looks disastrous. Absolutely horrible.

And then you actually open an iPad app... and it's all better

 

[Hyper-X]

I have yet to use an android tablet I liked

I say the same thing about iPads, haven't used one that I liked. All are disappointing and extremely boring (and limiting) to use.

 

[HarryKNN21]

If android tablets are so crappy, then how do you explain the average customer review ratings of this?


http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung...Gray/5587686.p?id=1218668288366&skuId=5587686

Note 10.1? I cannot imagine a tablet with a crappy display would get 5 stars. How about TF700 with 1900 x 1200 display?

 

[Johnny JiveJobs]

"So in your mind a Tablet is designed to fall? I wonder if you are using a Hummer H1 as your family car."

Using your analogy yes cars ARE DESIGNED FOR CRASHES even hummers.

So yes consumer electronics should be designed for everyday mishaps

we are not talking throwing it out a window on the 20th story, but one WOULD expect it to survive a fall of a few centimeters.

As I said Apple needs to improve the quality of some of its products.

 

[i.mac]

Sales yes. Apple is stale and on the decline. Thats a fact.

More companies sale more crapware with unusable bloatware. That's a fact.

 

[blackhand1001]

Note 10.1? I cannot imagine a tablet with a crappy display would get 5 stars. How about TF700 with 1900 x 1200 display?

Theres more to the note 10.1 than the 1280x800 resolution, which btw is higher than the ipad mini and the ipad 1 and 2. It has to do with the OS and the pen features as well as multiwindow.

The nexus 10 is highly rated on staples and walmart as well. For some reason best buy doesn't carry the nexus 7 or 10.

 

[i.mac]

But why? Android is horrible on tablets.

Ice cream is horrible for the body, yet the masses consume it indiscriminately.

 

[seek3r]

This is SO remarkably shortsighted.

1) Rent movies and transfer them (including playback position) to other devices easily.
2) Not break when thrown on ground.
3) Get me through two or more days of usage.
4) Wirelessly backup my user and app data every day.
5) Run my iOS apps (which I think someone already said, but it's worth mentioning again)
6) Be counted on to NEVER hang, freeze, slow down or do anything stupid. Be efficient and effortless at all times and in all conditions of use.
7) Be upgradable to the newest OS on the day it's announced.
8) Allow me to text my friends for free without additional software or setup.
9) Allow me to listen to my voicemail messages out of order and in an organized way.

...Should I continue?

Dude, I like my iphone, but I think you and yours need a room...

Every one of those probs can be true on an iphone and most of the advantages true on Android. Also, imessage sucks and I have to say, ios is getting stale. If the Ives factor doesnt fix that my next phone will likely not be an iphone 6. Hell I was close to ditching my 5 when the JB was announced, default multitasking in ios is abysmal - my touchpad running android (or, for multitasking, even better: webos) on inferior hardware handles it better.

And yes, posted from my iphone

 

[GermanyChris]

I think the responses are funny.

If the report said that Apple would keep/increase their lead - people wouldn't take issue with the report. At least most wouldn't.

But I agree - anything can and will happen in the next few years. But given the growth of Android and that tablets are offered in various sizes and manufacturers - the idea that marketshare will lean in favor of Android isn't surprising. Nor does it really mean anything in and of itself. It's only one important factor in the scheme of things.

I agree.