IDC sees tablet shipments rising faster than expected; firm raises estimate for 2012 and 2013

Analytics firm IDC sees 117 million tablets being shipped in 2012 followed by 165 million to be shipped next year. Those figures are up from the original estimates of 107.4 million and 142,8 million respectively. IDC doesn't see the growth in turnover ending there either. It forecasts 2016 shipments at 261.4 million.

The Apple iPad continues to be the market leader. Last year, Apple's tablet grabbed 57.2% market share which IDC sees rising to 60% in 2012. By 2016, the iPad should slip back to 58% ownership of the tablet market, but still have the majority of market share. Android tablets, led by the low priced Amazon Kindle Fire, had 38.9% of the tablet market in 2011. This year, 35.3% of tablets sold will have the Android platform dropping to 30.5% by 2016.

Startng from a low base of 1% of the market in 2011, all forms of Windows tablets, including the upcoming Windows 8 and Windows-RT units, will quadrupole to 4% of the tablet market in 2012. By 2016, IDC sees Windows tablets commanding a respectable 11% of tablet sales, taking share away from both the Apple iPad and Android models. While official pricing of the Windows tablets are unknown, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently said that his firm's Surface tablets will not be the "cheap option".

IDC sees low priced tablets hastening the end of the line for eReaders. Low priced tablets under $200, like the Amazon Kindle Fire HD ($199), the Google Nexus 7 ($199) and the Amazon Kindle Fire 2 ($159) will lead to a decline in eReaders to 2012 shipments of 23.6 million. That is down from 27.7 million shipped last year and shows that eReader sales probably peaked last year.

source: IDC via eWEEK