Report: iPad Has “Passed The Baton” To Android Tablets

ABI Research released a report speculating that “Apple’s iPad family of products has passed the baton to the Android ecosystem.” Based on IDC shipments estimates of Android tablets vs. iPads, as well as tablet revenues, ABI argues that Android tablets are now outselling iPads.

ABI estimated that Android tablets generated half of all tablet sales revenues in Q2. The company said the global tablet market saw $12.7 billion in overall sales in Q2, $6.3 billion of which were iPads.

Based on the iPhone smartphone precedent, various analyst firms have been anticipating the iPad would lose its dominant position in the tablet market just Apple did in the handset market.  However in terms of “facts on the ground” none of these predictions have thus far come true.

Perhaps it’s just a matter of time. And, perhaps if ABI’s revenue estimates are correct, Android has now reached escape velocity. In North America at least the internet traffic generated by the iPad still far eclipses all Android tablets combined.

According to a July report from Chitika, the iPad was responsible for more than 84 percent of all tablet traffic in the region.

Admittedly, these figures are now several months old and need to be updated. We also need some comparable numbers on a global basis to determine the accuracy of the ABI report.

About The Author

Greg Sterling

Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He writes a personal blog, Screenwerk, about connecting the dots between digital media and real-world consumer behavior. He is also VP of Strategy and Insights for the Local Search Association. Follow him on Twitter or find him at Google+.