Windows 8 Tablets Doing Not So Bad After All
|Yes the prices are fluctuating up and down like a yoyo. Yes Windows RT tablets got off to a chilly start. There is no disputing these things. Still it seems consumers have been quick to jump on good deals when they have had the opportunity. A Strategy Analytics report on the tablet market has revealed that Windows tablets account for 7.5% of devices shipped in Q1 2013. That isn’t so bad for a fledgling platform delivering a completely new OS and UI.
Exhibit 1: Global Tablet Operating System Shipments and Market Share in Q1 2013 (Preliminary)^2 Global Branded Tablet OS Shipments (Millions of Units) Q1 '12 Q1 '13 Apple iOS 11.8 19.5 Android 6.4 17.6 Windows 0.0 3.0 Others 0.5 0.4 Total 18.7 40.6 Global Branded Tablet OS Marketshare % Q1 '12 Q1 '13 Apple iOS 63.1% 48.2% Android 34.2% 43.4% Windows 0.0% 7.5% Others 2.7% 1.0% Total 100% 100% Growth Year-over-Year % 146% 117%
The bad news is the report cites very limited distribution, a shortage of top tier apps, and confusion in the market, are all holding back shipments. The good news is that Microsoft has already seen twice the amount of success in the tablet market as it has in the smartphone market. This should also be enough to kickstart a second wave of developer support in creating apps for the Windows 8 & RT platforms. The introduction of $200 priced tablets and devices at the end of 2013 will only serve to continue Microsoft’s growth in the market.
Source: Bloomberg
They are only doing bad in the eyes of those who want to believe they are. You know, the ones who act as though every other OS didn’t have to build up to their sales numbers they just came out the gate and sold 60 million in the first week.
Yeah, those assholes…
Why would Microsoft plans to expand Surface availability when it is not received well like media and analysts portrayed. Media hates Microsoft and turn every news to blast Microsoft to satisfy its euphemism. Wall street is spoiled because most of the modern wall street analysts look at short term returns and stopped using brains and depending upon the piecharts and linegraphs produced by Computers.
When those 7″ tablets start coming out during holiday season we’ll see a bigger spike in market share. Of course the more people use Win8 the more familiar they’ll be with Windows Phone.
@Ram-Exactly. The PC isn’t going away the form factor is just changing. If i’m an accessory manufacturer i’m hard at work crafting beautiful keyboards and mice.
+1