14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is investing big in 2-in-1 devices, which itself invented with the debut of the original Surface RT in 2012, and this obviously caught the attention of all of its partners, who suddenly became interested in this market category as well.
And now it turns out that it’s all paying off for the Windows tablet industry, as statistics show that the third quarter brought a significant growth, while both Android and iOS actually lost ground.
Figures provided by Strategy Analytics indicate that Windows tablet shipments grew 25 percent year-on-year to reach 7.3 million in the third quarter of the year, which represents a market share of 16 percent.
At the same time, Android lost 17 percent and dropped to 65 percent market share, while iOS experienced a decline of 6 percent to 20 percent market share.
Windows set to improve significantly
The difference between Windows and Android is still huge in the tablet market, but analysts believe that with the 2-in-1 form factor, Microsoft’s operating system is very likely to increase its share in the coming quarters, especially because other companies build similar devices.
One such example is Apple, Strategy Analytics says, as Cupertino itself looked at the Surface for ways to improve its iPads and start recovering.
“Microsoft has led a transformation in the tablet market with its Surface Pro and Surface Book. Apple is now reliant on iPad Pro for tablet and laptop replacement, while many other PC OEMs abandon Android Slates in favor of more expensive 2-in-1 Windows Tablets for better productivity and versatility,” Peter King, Service Director, Tablet & Touchscreen Strategies service, said.
In terms of individual sales, Apple remains the leading company with 19.9 percent market share, while Samsung is second with 14.1 percent. Lenovo and Huawei are next with 5.8 and 5.4 percent, respectively, so it’s very clear why Android is still topping the charts despite the rapid growth of Windows.