iPad Still Leads Tablet Market, but for How Much Longer?

The steady onslaught of Android tablets marching to market is winnowing down Apple’s lead in the space. And while the company’s iPad remains wildly popular, its growth is clearly being outpaced by that of its collective archrival (remember, Android tablets far outnumber the handful of iPad models Apple currently offers).

To wit, a new survey of the tablet market from ABI Research that charted a significant decline in share for the iPad. In the third quarter of this year, Apple’s iPad lineup accounted for 55 percent of tablet shipments, a 14 percent decline from the second quarter.

Where did that lost share go? Mostly to Android. ABI found that Google’s mobile OS powered about 44 percent of the tablets shipped during Q3.

So Apple’s dominance of the tablet market, which it has maintained for 10 straight quarters now, is beginning to wane. As ABI analyst Jeff Orr observed, “Fifty-five percent is the lowest share Apple has ever had since launching the iPad in 2010.”

Which is worth noting. Particularly given this recent decline in unit shipment share. If, over the next few quarters, iPad shipments see similar dips, they could be surpassed by those of Android tablets sometime next year.