iPad loses market share in UK as shoppers choose cheaper tablets

[RaduTyrsina]

​

The tablet market is moving at a fast pace all over the world, and Apple’s iPad has always been seen as the king of the hill. But now, new data from IDC shows that iPad is losing its market share in the United Kingdom, as shoppers orient themselves towards cheaper tablets as gifts for the holiday season.

According to Francisco Jeronimo, research director for the analysts at IDC, 2013 was the year of the tablet as 7.6 million tablets were shipped to the UK in the first three quarters of the year, which represents a year-on-year growth of 192% for the same period in 2012. The average sale price was $407, generating around $3 billion in sales. The same report says that 38% of the sales were Apple's iPad, but tablets powered by Google's Android software won 56% of the market. Jeronimo added the following:

The very low end tablet market saw very strong sales this year, which is something we're expecting to continue into next year and beyond – especially for Christmas

Besides popular tablets like Google’s Nexus 7, other surprising tablets have managed to garner many sales. Retailer Tesco has launched its Hudl tablet for £119 (around $195), which has managed to undercut the competition including the iPad, Nexus 7 and even Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet models. Tesco managed to sell 300,000 Hudl units in the first two months after launch. The same analyst explains the advantages of cheaper Android tablets.

Tablets under £100 have excellent gifting potential this Christmas. Parents looking to give gifts to children and teenagers are unlikely to spend £400-500 on a tablet, so tablets sub-£100 are less of an investment and more of an attractive disposable gift that doesn't matter so much if it gets broken.

What do you think about this? Will this trend continue in other countries besides the UK or Apple will manage to maintain the crown of the tablet market with its iPad?

Source: Guardian

 

[MoonlitSonata]

I'm a firm believer of you get what you pay for. Cheaper = lower end = not as good a product. It's a loss to buy cheaper IMO. Go big once and be set for years, rather than go small and be set for 6 months. No brainer to me.

 

[s2mikey]

I'm a firm believer of you get what you pay for. Cheaper = lower end = not as good a product. It's a loss to buy cheaper IMO. Go big once and be set for years, rather than go small and be set for 6 months. No brainer to me.

I do agree with you but there are plenty of users who will be just fine with a very basic tablet. If alls they'll do is play a couple simple games, email and some web surfing there is no reason they need a $500 iPad.

 

[MoonlitSonata]

That's true.

 

[AQ_OC]

Makers of cheap tablets don't make any money. They are giving away hardware hoping those buyers will buy software, in the form of e-books, apps, music and video. It's not clear to me that this is a smart long term plan. For one thing, it trains people to expect a low price - on everything for the hardware to the software that is run one the hardware. That doesn't seem sound to me. Also, by selling at such low prices, the workers are being paid much. Yeah, I some parts of the world this might be working at the moment. But long term this isn't sound. Frankly, I think the bottom will fall out from under us all with this plan.

Of course, this doesn't apply to just tablets, which means the problem is really deeply ingrained.

 

[willerz2]

I say it's more user preference. It's similar to the idea of how Android users usually stay with Android, and iOS users usually stay with iOS. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. As @s2mikey said, some users prefer a simpler use, so the price isn't worth the benefits or drawbacks of the other.

 

[Ser Aphim]

I really hate why people say "Don't buy an iPad it just sucks a android tablet like alcatel is better cause its cheap." and "You are a waste of money.". You get this when you are in a third world country.

I believe that low price means lackluster product. Sure I think they just want a simple, cheap tablet for simple stuff, I can understand that, I mean I used a cheap tablet for other uses, when i did not have the iPad.

 

[fb si]

The cheaper tablets I tested did not operate as smoothly as the iPad.

You get what you pay for.

 

[s2mikey]

The cheaper tablets I tested did not operate as smoothly as the iPad. You get what you pay for.

Yeah, the lower end tablets don't have the user experience of the iPad, that's for sure. However, like you said you do pay for that. Apple products are pretty expensive and they are quite stingy with hardware and memory upgrades. That's what drives sales of some of the other offerings. The newest android tablets I have messed with weren't too bad either. Those were name brand ones though.

 

[AQ_OC]

The 2nd gen nexus 7 is every bit as smooth as the iPad. The build quality is not the same, but the stereo sound is better. The color accuracy is better than that of the mini. It is light, too. If all you want to do is browse the web, read ebooks, and play a game (picked from the limited choices) it is a good option. If you like apps, though, it is not so good. If you ask me, the apps for android tablets are in a sorry state unless you are a person that only uses a handful of a certain few apps. If you desire a rich selection of apps to address a wide range of applications, then android will leave you high and dry. This is where iOS and iPad really shine. So people picking up the cheaper tablets are doing so at the loss of a rich ecosystem and they probably don't realize it or don't care. Which is fine. I own two android tablets because after the crash of modern civilization, the androids will then be the much more useful device. And you never know when that is going to happen, so you have to be ready and have all bases covered.

 

[sally190]

Not everybody can afford an ipad, or top Samsung.

 

[zstairlessone]

Plus part of the purchase price gets you into excellent software updates/upgrades, hardware that maintains its value on the resell market, great support and more

 

[s2mikey]

Not everybody can afford an ipad, or top Samsung.

That's a factor too. The high end tablets are pretty expensive when you think about it. We are just spoiled brats

 

[skimonkey]

That's a factor too. The high end tablets are pretty expensive when you think about it. We are just spoiled brats

I called it hard working and saving for something. Not all of us receive iPads as gifts, but save up for it. So no, not all of us are "spoiled brats!" Just saying...

 

[tlbaker]

I called it hard working and saving for something. Not all of us receive iPads as gifts, but save up for it. So no, not all of us are "spoiled brats!" Just saying...[/QUOTE

I am far from being a spoiled brat. I only got ONE iPad as a gift and the rest of the apple stuff I bought with my own money.

Sent from my Black 64GB Fifth Generation iPod touch using iPF