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back to article FONDLESLAB market DEATH STRUGGLE: Latest rankings in

The latest numbers are in from the battle for global tablet market dominance - and the questions everyone is asking are: Is Apple holding on? Has Microsoft got anywhere yet? Where's Amazon? Has Android crushed everything into tablet paste? The good news for Microsoft is that Surface broke into the ranks of the top five selling …

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  1. Smoking Gun

    Watch this space. Microsoft are playing a crafty game and are caught between a rock and hard place. MS know the PC is on the decline, other players own them in the tablet game and MS need to make huge inroads into this. MS's key asset is in their OEM's who they don't want to upset with mass Surface sales. Yet, in Surface they have created the utopian model that they want their OEM's to aspire too. The delays in shipments, especially the Pro as this would crack the Enterprise market space, and might explain low shipment numbers globally, is imho a delaying tactic, a ruse to encourage innovation in their OEM's in order to attack the Apple and Android space en masse. Surface Pro is a great product, but MS cannot live without their OEM's, let's face it, MS do not do enterprise hardware very well. Just look at the video conference roundtable, it was quickly sold off to Polycom, you won't see a Microsoft brand on the Surface Pro, why... because when the moment is right and OEM's have bought into the tablet and Windows 8, they'll sell it off to the highest bidder.

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    1. AndyS
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Down

      I suppose that's one way of looking at it. The other, much simpler, way, is that the market quite likes Android and iOS tablets, and doesn't really like, or see the advantage of, Windows tablets, so isn't buying them.

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      1. Greg D
        Reply Icon
        Boffin

        Actually Win8 Pro steps the game up a little. This is instantly appealing to the Enterprise market, since it has a full fat version of Windows, which is compatible with group policy and company standard software out of the box.

        The problem Android and iOS have is that they are proprietary computing environments, each with their own fragmented software development communities. The desktop Windows platform (and consequently, Win8 Pro) is already up to speed, so it is cost effective to roll these out across enterprise.

        The attraction doesnt end there either. With the Lenovo Win8 Pro units we have in for testing, we can dual-boot and run pretty much any OS we want on these new slabs. Obviously you'd want to pick something touch-friendly, but it's not necessary since they have full-on keyboard docks.

        I see Win8 Pro and OS's like it the future of computing. It combines the best of both worlds. When I buy a tablet (dont have one yet) it will be to replace my laptop. Currently I CANNOT do this, as none of my software will work on an Apple, Android or Win8RT tablet (among MANY other reasons). The versatility of a tablet isnt enough from the Apple, Android and RT world - no power-user or sysadmin could replace their PC with one. Win8 Pro should fix this or at least go some lengths to getting there.

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        1. Paul Shirley
          Reply Icon

          The problem is Microsoft bet the future on RT. More accurately they bet on the wall garden RT brings and perceived user lockin that creates.

          Pro doesn't really help that. Yes having an RT mode is part of the crazy cross promotional, Win8 everywhere plan but 'full fat' Windows doesn't really help the walled garden part. It's hard to see Pros actual appeal extending much beyond use of desktop mode.

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        2. M Gale
          Reply Icon

          "The problem Android and iOS have is that they are proprietary computing environments"

          I think you need to read up on the definition of "proprietary". Windows is about as proprietary as they come, and a lot of people are seeing the huge swell of support for not-WIndows operating systems as a chance to finally kick Microsoft in the teeth so hard they have to put their toothbrush up their arse to clean them in the morning.

          Yes, Windows has 30 years of legacy. It also has 30 years of growing hate toward the owning company, and I don't think that should be underestimated.

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        3. blondie101
          Reply Icon

          windows and byod doesn't match

          The main reason for succes of iOS and Android is the ease of use or better the ease of system management of your own device. You don't have to be like a system administrator. Quite different from Windows (Pro/i386/x86_64) devices with its endless ways of installing and updating software from all sources. My experience is that ordinary people are not capable of properly take care of their device. With the controlled environments of Apple and Google this is a no-brainer. Maybe WinRT can compete but this platform lacks all other advantages of 'normal' windows. A very difficult game Microsoft has to play.

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        4. Anonymous Coward
          Reply Icon
          Anonymous Coward

          @Greg D

          "...since it has a full fat version of Windows,..." Sure it does, but no one wants anything full of fat anymore, or ever did. Also, have you ever considered that you have somehow associated computing power and performance with high disk and memory usage? In the power and resource department, Windows is all fat.

          "The attraction doesnt end there either." Hold up on ending and tell us where it began, or better yet, tell the global market.

          "...they have full-on keyboard docks." Is this a plus? I'd hope for a Bluetooth or mini USB interface myself.

          "The versatility of a tablet isnt enough from..." The versatility of ANY tablet is limited, especially if you are a power user of any kind. It is fine for when we feel like a dreamer, negator, or gamer. However, for the rest of the time, it is clunky and about as advanced as an Etch-A-Sketch.

          And of course, your "proprietary" comment. I greatly assume you meant "fragmented" instead, which is true (enough). If you actually meant to use the word "proprietary", don't explain...my head would explode.

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    2. Euripides Pants
      Reply Icon

      Re: @Smoking Gun

      Smoking Gun, what have you been smoking?

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  2. Tom 38
    Holmes

    Telling who tells what

    MS tell you their shipping numbers, all the others tell you their sales numbers.

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    1. RyokuMas
      Reply Icon
      Stop

      Re: Telling who tells what

      To be fair, the stats given here by Blackberry are also shipping numbers.

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Diversity

    Great to see more diversity in the tablet market.

    I am always surprised to see Asus's sales being so much lower than Samsung, as in London I see the Nexus 7 everywhere on the tube.

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    1. jonathanb Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Diversity

      I believe my Galaxy Note II is booked as a tablet sale rather than a phone sale even though I use it as a giant phone rather than a tiny tablet. That may explain it.

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  4. DrXym

    At least a Windows Pro tablet is a bonafide PC

    I'd be tempted to get a Windows Pro tablet because it runs any existing Windows software. I don't know anybody in their right minds who'd buy a Windows RT which runs sweet FA.

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Happy

      Re: At least a Windows Pro tablet is a bonafide PC

      > it runs any existing Windows software.

      Including all the trojans, viruses and malware.

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  5. danR2

    Windows type-slabs are reference machines

    MS is just showcasing their technology; they don't want to upstage other makers. Hence the high prices. I don't know whether the silly hybrid design is deliberately part of that showcasing, but it hasn't helped the product if it's rather just a silly hybrid design.

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  6. jptech

    Interesting that some still prefer inferior hardware

    The ipad mini is inferior in all ways to the Nexus 7, yet some hipsters apparently prefer it's bulbous price to the Asus/Google offering. Peculiar.

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Interesting that some still prefer inferior hardware

      Interesting that some out-of-date tech-heads STILL think "specs = performance".

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      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Interesting that some still prefer inferior hardware

        You brought up specs, not him.

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        1. Anonymous Coward
          Reply Icon
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Interesting that some still prefer inferior hardware

          I think specs was mentioned, based on my POV, that when the "inferior hardware for the price" line is trotted out then specs is what's implied.

          If not, then in what way is it inferior?

          I'm more than happy with my ipad mini, and *I* can do everything *I* want or need to.

          (The emphasis isn't accidental btw)

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    2. graeme leggett Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Interesting that some still prefer inferior hardware

      perhaps as an adjunct to an existing ipad, or an established investment in Apple store purchases....

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      1. JEDIDIAH
        Reply Icon
        Linux

        Re: Interesting that some still prefer inferior hardware

        It's the "ecosystem". An iPad user can easily dump Apple for a smaller Android tablet. My local iFan did just that. Dumped her Apple phone in the process too.

        That's why Apple finally relented on the smaller tablets. They realized that Android was alone in a segment of the market that they could no longer dismiss.

        What keeps people stuck is purchases they can't transfer to another platform. This used to be software but that doesn't seem to be the big problem anymore. The real problem seems to be media content formats that used to be non-proprietary.

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    3. Al Jones
      Reply Icon

      Re: Interesting that some still prefer inferior hardware

      The iPad mini has front and rear cameras, the Nexus 7 only has a front camera. You don't need a 5MP camera for QR codes and bar codes, so you'll still have people using that rear camera to take actual photographs, but that's people for you.

      The iPad Mini also has 5GHz 802.11N, the Nexus 7 only has 2.4GHz.

      The Nexus 7 has a higher resolution screen, can read from attached USB devices, and is a LOT cheaper. the 32GB model with Cellular & WiFi costs $299, versus $559 for the 32GB iPad Mini with WiFi & Cellular, though if you use Verizon or Sprint, the Nexus7 isn't an option for you.

      You can read and write to USB storage from the Nexus 7 for under $10, the Apple adapter costs $29.

      I'm a Nexus 7 user, but I have to admit that the iPad Mini does have a slight edge in some areas. But not enough to justify a 60% price premium!

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  7. SnakeChisler

    MS Surface is an irrelevant product its too expensive anyways and who wants to run MS software on a tablet?

    Then there's the compatibility Win 8 Arm can't run legacy windows apps so the question is what is it and who is it aimed at?

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    1. Al Jones
      Reply Icon

      There's nothing that I do today on my Nexus 7 that I couldn't do on a 7" WinRT tablet. If I could get a 7" or 8" WinRT tablet for $250-$300, I probably would, or it would at least be on my shopping list. (I probably wouldn't spend 50% more than a Nexus 7 to get one, but I might let SWMBO buy me one the next time I'm due a present!)

      If WindowsRT supported Domain logins and group policy, then a locked down 7" WinRT tablet that could act as a mobile e-mail/IM/document viewer would be a very, very compelling device in many workplaces - it could replace a lot of iDevices very, very quickly. The lack of Active Directory support in WinRT is a huge flaw, because the consumer market has very little interest in a $600 13" tablet.

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  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "The good news for Microsoft is that Surface broke into the ranks of the top five selling slabs in Q1 but the bad news is that it still remains a bit part player in a highly fragmented sector."

    Maybe this will be the year of the windows tablet...LOL

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    1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Did Microsoft just come 5th in a 3 horse race?

      1 Apple

      2 Android

      3 ?

      4 ?

      5 Windows

      What are 3 and 4?

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      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Did Microsoft just come 5th in a 3 horse race?

        3 Etch A Sketch

        4 A 2nd century Roman 'tabulae ceratae'

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  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Tablet bundles?

    Do these figures include all those mobile deals where you get a 'free' android tablet?

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  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The real problem with Surface Pro

    is that its main claim to fame is being able to run all your Windows desktop software. All your desktop software that was designed for use with a keyboard and mouse, with a convenient flat surface for said mouse to move around on. Software with pull down menus and tick boxes and radio buttons that are definitely not fat finger friendly.

    Sadly, the dream is not matched by reality.

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  11. strangelybrown
    Meh

    I have an 8 Pro Tablet...

    Here, sat next to me, on eval from Lenovo. Arrived yesterday. I'm a WP8 fan, and a Linux fan, and I have an iPad, Motorola Zoom 2, and even bought a PlayBook... with my own money, no less (guaranteed way to social leprosy, that was). So I count myself as an avid fondler of slabs and not especially OS loyal.

    Leaving aside the hardware, which is pretty nice, the 8 Pro tablet is rather underwhelming... Not entirely sure I see the point of it. My customer (who I'm doing the initial eval with) is thinking about them as a laptop replacement. I can't see they're really suitable for that myself; yes, it will run Office properly, and not mangle your macros, but it's too small and underpowered to work on all day - not helped by the odd screen size making it feel smaller than it is. Yes, it does the tablet thing nicely, but so does an iPad.

    It seems to fall between the gaps as the market stands currently, really being a netbook with a detachable screen. Most tellingly, I think, is that even as a gadget nut I faffed about with it for a few hours yesterday, and haven't touched it since. It's not bad by any means, and indeed I dearly wanted to be skipping around the place with my shiny held aloft proving the naysayers wrong. As it is, I've not even touched it today.

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  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Android top dog then.

    58% of the market. iOS 32%, everything else also rans....

    Microsoft and RIMs numbers are SHIPPED. The others are SOLD...

    Interesting...

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  13. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Ignore the fanboy arguments for a second and consider this

    This survey reports that Microsoft had 1.8% of the tablet market. Strategy Analytics earlier this week announced Microsoft with 7.4% share of the tablet market. How useful is the data these research firms are reporting when the figures for the same quarter vary that wildly?

    The only number both have in common is the number of Apple shipments, 19.5 million. That's also the EXACT number that Apple reported in their earnings announcement. No coincidence that, I'm sure. I wonder what their own figures had Apple at before they fudged their numbers to fit into Apple's actual sales totals? The reason why they both released this week was because they KNOW they'd look foolish if they released prior to Apple's earnings announcement, and everyone saw how inaccurate their figures really are!

    If they can miss that wildly on Microsoft's total (and obviously at least one of them is wildly off on that total given the difference between the two) then why should we trust any numbers they're giving us? Maybe Apple has 39.6%. Maybe they have 60%. Maybe they have 25%. How do we know?

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