However, Apple’s overall share has slipped four percentage points since last quarter, due to growing competition including Samsung which now has a 7% share in the market. Whilst the new iPad enjoys industry-leading satisfaction scores across most performance measures, thus securing Apple’s position in this market, the iPads’ performance measures under-index in Price and Value for Money. Furthermore, Samsung rivals iPad 2 across many performance scores, particularly Sturdiness and Reliability. Lastly, nearly half of current tablet owners (45%) are considering switching their devices, with Price being the main consideration for the market, at large, and for iPad owners in particular.
John Gilbert, Consulting Director of YouGov’s Technology and Telecoms sector summarised: “This trend is to be expected. No brand can maintain 90% plus share in a new and growing device market. With the older (and solvent) generation adopting tablets at a growing rate, and spending over £400, it is much too lucrative an opportunity for competition to ignore.”
Gilbert continued: “Whilst Apple continues to set the standards of tablet quality, Samsung and other manufacturers are fast approaching and exceeding Apple on price metrics. As the tablet market taps into the Early and Late Majority technology users, Apple may expect a declining share in a growing market.”