Figures released today by Gartner show that the iPad remained the best-selling tablet of 2013, selling more than the combined sales of the four runners-up.
Apple’s tablets remain strong in the higher end of the market and, Apple’s approach will continue to force vendors to compete with full ecosystem offerings, even in the smaller-screen market as the iPad mini sees a greater share …
Gartner’s headline – and doubtless that of many reports to follow later today – focused on market share.
As we’ve said many times before, market share is not a particularly meaningful measure where Apple is concerned, for two reasons. Firstly, iOS vs Android is one company versus almost every other tablet maker (Windows being almost an irrelevance in this market). Second, Apple is not targeting the whole tablet market, only the top end of it. Seventy million extra low-end tablets dilutes Apple’s market share without costing the company a single cent in lost sales.
Android Grew 127 Percent and Reached the No. 1 Position in 2013
Which is why Apple boosted iPad sales by 9M while its market share fell from 52.8 percent to 36 percent.
The numbers did, though, emphasise the importance of the growth markets as the U.S. and Europe approach saturation point.
That’s a trend that will be reflected in Apple’s sales as much as those of any other tablet manufacturer.
