Apple iPad Still Leads, But Kindle Fire Gaining

Though a reasonable person would argue Android-powered devices will someday overtake the Apple iPad in sales volume at the moment it is the 7-inch Amazon tablet that is is the biggest competitor to the iPad, with 16.8 percent of the tablet market and 4.7 million units shipped during the fourth quarter of 2011, followed by Samsung with 5.8 percent of the market according to IDC.


But Apple still had “an increase of 110.5 percent from fourth quarter of 2010 levels.


 Apple also continued to lead the market with 54.7 percent of global market share despite being down from 61.5 percent in the quarter before. 


IDC expects Android to overtake iOS for global market share by 2015. Maybe the "tablet" market someday really will emerge from the "iPad" market. 

Source: IDC