Global Q4 2012 tablet shipments outpace forecasts with "record" totals according to IDC, as the market grows by 75.3% Y-o-Y and shipments reach 52.5 million units, up from 29.9m in Q4 2011.
Catalysts for such growth include lower average selling prices (ASPs), a wider product range and increased holiday spending.
Of course, tablets are a stark contrast to PCs-- where shipments saw declines during the holiday season, a first in over 5 years.
Apple continues to lead the market, with shipments reaching 22.9m units (wih 48.1% Y-o-Y growth) thanks to the iPad mini and 4th generation iPad launches. However increasingly strong competition continues to cause decline in Apple tablet share, from 46.4% in Q3 2012 to 43.6% in Q4.
Samsung takes the #2 position, with 15.1% market share and shipments (combining both Android and Windows 8 devices) reaching 8m units. Amazon follows with shipments of 6m units and 11.5% share (up from 7.3% in Q4 2011).
Microsoft does not make the vendor top 5-- Q4 Surface shipments total 900000 units. IDC remarks "devices based upon its new Windows 8 and Windows RT operating systems failed to gain much ground during their launch quarter, and reaction to the company's Surface with Windows RT tablet was muted at best."
