Android Gains in Tablets, Apple Slows in Third Quarter

Analyst firm IDC said that Apple's tablet market share took a hit as consumers sat out the third quarter in anticipation of the iPad Mini. Android tablets made gains as a result. After a strong second quarter, Apple's unit shipment growth slowed in both consumer and commercial (including education) markets. Apple's share sank from 65.5 percent in the second quarter of 2012 to 50.4 percent in the third quarter. In the same period last year, Apple's market share was 59.7 percent.

The other four vendors ranked in the top five all gained share during the quarter. Samsung led the way, buoyed by its Galaxy Tab and Note 10.1, shipping 5.1 million tablets worldwide in the third quarter, up 115 percent from the second quarter of this year. And that's an increase of 325 percent from the third quarter of 2011, when it shipped 1.2 million tablets. Amazon also made noticeable gains. They announced new tablets late in the quarter, saw its worldwide market share from jump from 4.8 percent in the second quarter to 9.0 percent in the third quarter.