iPad's Share of Tablet Market Hits 68% in 2Q 2012

[gatortpk]

Some links to support my comment.

Links to support that wild assertion?

I didn't know it was a "wild assertion"! I've read about this issue many times in the past 1.5 years. I did a quick Google search "shipped vs sold", and didn't use any keywords like "tablets", "iPad", "Apple", "Android", etc. And an overwhelming number of links were exactly about the difference between Apple vs Android devices shipped vs sold. (Note, my prior comment made no mention of Android tablets)

I do understand that many of the articles are from last year, and the problem of overstocked non-iPad tablets are less of an issue today as manufactures have a better idea of what will sell.

With another record sales of iPads sold this quarter, it appears that the shipped vs sold iPad numbers are likely the same. When there is a good flow of selling product, the number of shipped and sold product stays about the same, if not, adjustments in the flow are easily modified.

I only skimmed over the following articles, some refer to phones rather than tablets, but they appear to support my comment, and these are just a few:

The Difference Between "Shipped" and "Sold"

Shipping vs. selling: Would-be iPad killers to sell dirt cheap just to "digest inventory overstock"

This one is recent (yesterday):
Shipped vs. sold and third-party estimates vs. actual unit sales

When I add "tablets" to the google search "shipped vs sold tablets", (again, no mention of Apple, Android, etc in the search), the first 3 links are (no bias, these are the first 3 links):

1 in 4 tablets from last quarter run on Android?

(This one actually states: "Apple has the same shipping numbers as sales numbers")
Marketshare of Android Tablets Shipped vs iPads Sold

Frequently Asked Q: Tablets - Shipped Versus Sold

 

[Fattytail]

The number iPads may be 68% of tablets Shipped, but the number of iPads in the hands of the consumers is very likely over 70%.

It's likely that over 90% of the actual usage of data (or minutes) on tablets are with iPads. This means that even though there may be close to 30% of non-iPads in consumers hands, but over 90% over tablet usage is by iPads! Obviously, this would indicate that iPads are more useful and/or more desirable to use.

This might very well be true. I recall seeing web usage statistics on one of the news articles on here. Over 90% (or some astronomically high percentage) of tablet usage was from the iPad.

 

[inkswamp]

That's odd, with over a billion users worldwide I highly doubt that the average Joe thinks that. More likely if will be, at last, a tablet with a familiar OS.

Familiar? Windows 8 is a massive departure from earlier versions of Windows. I don't think the term familiar fits.

That issue aside, Windows is already the de facto desktop operating system. Arguing whether the Windows brand does any damage to the Windows OS is a discussion that is just going to go around in circles. It won that market. What I'm trying to say is that a lot of people associate that brand name with hassles, viruses, lost files, weird problems, dragging their PC to Geek Squad, etc. I think Microsoft would see more success if they ditched the incessant Windows branding on their mobile products. They have good products that are being dragged down by a brand that is bogged down in the minds of consumers with endless headaches.

Again, they avoided the Windows branding with XBox 360 and it's been a huge success. Windows Phone 7? Not so much. I predict Window 8 will get the same reception.

 

[Sensation]

Good to see Android starting to dominate the tablets, I imagine with the sellout Nexus 7 included everything will change again.

 

[gatortpk]

Good to see Android starting to dominate the tablets, I imagine with the sellout Nexus 7 included everything will change again.

The Nexus 7 at is great price may affect the market share perhaps slightly. However, the iPad mini may again affect the market share again in Apple's favor. Especially if the iPad mini sells at only $50-$100 more. Many consumers may think why bother with an Android tablet when they can get an iPad for just a few dollars more.

However, I would like to see good competition. If the iPad's market share starts to drop a bit, Apple will only work that much harder to innovate and make an already great tablet that much better, and perhaps even lower the price a bit (though lowering the price isn't Apple's style, especially since the iPad is already a great value for a product that only get's better with time with free OS updates often not available with competitors).

 

[JoEw]

Not surprising considering Apple has blocked others from sale, it's almost a monopoly on the market.

Meh I don't care, the Nexus 7 rocks. And i think the Galaxy Note 10.1 will be a good seller, if it isn't blocked by Apple.

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Sigh, the problem with a $199 iPad is really very simple, it's the ENTIRE iPod range, because Apple will either have to drop the entire iPod range, or accept seriously damaging it's iPod sales.
This plus the reasons you give are why Apple will never sell a 7" iPad for $199, thus they will price themselves out of that market, thus they are never going to launch a 7" iPad.
It's all rumours anyway, no factual proof exists of a 7" iPad.

I doubt apple banning sales has had enough impact, seeing as these sales ban are only a few weeks old (united states anyway) and it's not hard to get a galaxy tablet if you want one (clearly not many do by the numbers).

The iPod market is already declining and it's because smartphones are around.

The iPad "mini" would not canabilize iPod sales the iPhone is already doing that. Also NO company is making a profit of 200 dollar tablets imao it's not apples strategy.

 

[the8thark]

Shipments do not equal end user sales. And that's the clincher.

 

[Rogifan]

If iPad market share drops thats bad because it means Apple is slipping. And we'd get the Apple is doomed without Steve comments. If iPad market share is high then that's bad because it means there isn't anyone challenging them to make the iPad even better. It's kind of like heads I win tails you lose.

 

[Fruit Cake]

I think as a consumers we want google and android to do better and grab bigger slice, only a shareholder of apple would want iPad to dominate w/o competition.

 

[iapplelove]

I still don't get why anyone would even concider buying another tablet at this point if they were in the market for one. Forget that it says apple on the back for a second but it really is the best looking most user friendly and supports by far the greatest amount of apps. That alone is reason to buy imo

 

[100Years]

I still don't get why anyone would even concider buying another tablet at this point if they were in the market for one.

Maybe some people don't care for being locked down into the Apple "ecosystem"?

 

[iapplelove]

Maybe some people don't care for being locked down into the Apple "ecosystem"?

That literally would be the only reason why.

And owning an iPad doesn't nessasary mean you would be "locked" into apples ecosystem

 

[kdarling]

And an overwhelming number of links were exactly about the difference between Apple vs Android devices shipped vs sold. (snip)

Well, it's definitely easy to get led astray these days on the web, where many sites are just echo chambers repeating the same ideas, often mistaken.

For example, their base assumptions about "shipped vs sold" are incorrect, as Apple also includes units in the process of being shipped to stores in their "sold" numbers... because the stores have promised to pay for them. (Returns are not subtracted from that number, but accounted for differently.)

So Apple's "sold" number is not the number of actual end buyers, although when demand is high, it's probably pretty close.

I do understand that many of the articles are from last year, and the problem of overstocked non-iPad tablets are less of an issue today as manufactures have a better idea of what will sell.

That's what most of us think, too. Stores are smarter now.

 

[alent1234]

I still don't get why anyone would even concider buying another tablet at this point if they were in the market for one. Forget that it says apple on the back for a second but it really is the best looking most user friendly and supports by far the greatest amount of apps. That alone is reason to buy imo

i have an ipad 2 and thought about a kindle fire. KF has "free" books and amazon instant video if you're a prime member

i ended up reading so much with my ipad 2 and rarely using a fraction of the CPU/GPU so i don't need anything high end for another tablet

 

[utdbear0812]

This means people are still buying tablets with touch enabled windows

Medical industry. Many doctors still use laptops that fold up into tablets for use in their offices.

 

[aristotle]

For all intents and purposes, Apple's "sold" number is actually the number of units sold to the consumer. Very few units are returned after being activated and Apple has the total number of "new" activations in their database and virtually everyone activates their iPad shortly after purchase if they intend on keeping it.

Each device has a unique ID and so it would be trivial for Apple count the number of unique activations and not double count a returned unit and refurb re-activation.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Familiar? Windows 8 is a massive departure from earlier versions of Windows. I don't think the term familiar fits.

That issue aside, Windows is already the de facto desktop operating system. Arguing whether the Windows brand does any damage to the Windows OS is a discussion that is just going to go around in circles. It won that market. What I'm trying to say is that a lot of people associate that brand name with hassles, viruses, lost files, weird problems, dragging their PC to Geek Squad, etc. I think Microsoft would see more success if they ditched the incessant Windows branding on their mobile products. They have good products that are being dragged down by a brand that is bogged down in the minds of consumers with endless headaches.

Again, they avoided the Windows branding with XBox 360 and it's been a huge success. Windows Phone 7? Not so much. I predict Window 8 will get the same reception.

Yea, the Windows name is really dragging them down. Consumers hate Windows, especially Windows 7. Or maybe you mean this is in the mindset of the typical Mac user?

 

[NewAnger]

I think as a consumers we want google and android to do better and grab bigger slice, only a shareholder of apple would want iPad to dominate w/o competition.

I really don't care how the others do as a consumer. I don't own an iPad or any other "tablet" but if I did want one, it would be an iPad.

 

[kdarling]

Each device has a unique ID and so it would be trivial for Apple count the number of unique activations and not double count a returned unit and refurb re-activation.

Good idea, but it's not how they publicly tally sales. Their method is laid out in their official SEC documents. They count both direct item sales in their stores and items the moment they're shipped to retailers.

OTOH, carriers seem encouraged by Apple to announce total activations instead of sales. This gives numbers that include re-activations of used units that have been sold or handed down. That makes sense for carriers, but often people mistakenly read that as new unit sales.

Apple is a pro at publicity, so it's all in knowing what the numbers mean.

 

[throys]

The iPad is truly a genius product and will only get better. Most schools here in UK is adopting the ipad in schools where I live and this alone with other companies invested in it will remain the iPad for now and years to come a true revolution in tablet era.

 

[JAT]

If Surface isn't vaporware then why were there no actual hands-on demos then?

Surface release date is "fall", which is pretty far off yet. Surface Pro is "90 days after" that. If we still know nothing on, let's say, Oct 25, call it vapor. Also, MS likes to announce such things well in advance. Opposite of Apple, you could say.

You really should upgrade from Windows 3.1 sometime....

I was getting a Win95 vibe.

Familiar? Windows 8 is a massive departure from earlier versions of Windows. I don't think the term familiar fits.

I thought there was some magic, esoteric command to revert to "familiar".

 

[MacNewsFix]

what exactly about that statement made you think of windows 3.1? Was it the myriad of headaches, crashes, viruses, lost files, or was it the petty annoyances?

I'll hang up and take my answer off the air, don.

your post is just ridiculous. Windows 7 is very solid. Most of us don't have any of the problems your are talking about.

You should try windows 7 and you'll see how ignorant you are.

There may be a bug in Windows 7 that makes a 3.1 (THREE POINT ONE) look like a 7 (SEVEN). You may want to download a fresh copy of your display driver from the manufacturer. Otherwise, I suggest adjusting the sharpness setting. Or just get a Mac.

 

[bawbac]

Exactly, Apple's Tablet Market Share could well be over 70% if you count the tablets actually in the hands of the consumers. Apple keeps about 4-6 week supply of iPads flowing, and they always get sold.

Other tablets get shipped, but not all are sold, period.

What's odd is if you hang around the the apple store long enough, you'll find that people are playing with the iPad but you never see anyone buy one.

Also, Best Buy, Frys, Target & Walmart always have ample stock or maybe the same stock.

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Most schools here in UK is adopting the ipad in schools where I live and this alone with other companies invested in it will remain the iPad for now and years to come a true revolution in tablet era.

Any articles or facts to back up your claims?

 

[SurferMan]

There are arguably better smart phones than the iPhone, but the iPad really still is in a class of its own here. I use mine for everything.

I agree, I greatly prefer my GSII over my iPhones, but with tablets I still feel Apple has the edge. Though now with ICS the newer Android tabs will be great finally, that 7" Nexus is sweet with Jelly Bean but they gimped it on memory and no microSD expansion.

It'll be interesting to see what everyones market share is in a year or two with the Surface and other tablets, iPad will still have the largest share though IMO for the foreseeable future.

 

[sakau2007]

Any articles or facts to back up your claims?

Just google UK Schools iPad

Quite a few stories about it pop up.