NZ tablet shipments fall; Android gains share

NZ TABLET SHIPMENTS Q4, 2011

Total: 57,000
Apple: 71%
Android: 27% (Q3: 15%)
Others (incl BlackBerry PlayBook): 2%

Full year: 203,292 (Q1: 30,000; Q2: 54,600; Q3: 59,892, Q4: 57,000)

The New Zealand tablet market fell back in the fourth quarter of last year, according to shipment figures released released today by IDC.

The market says 57,000 media tablets were shipped into NZ during the final three months of 2011, down on the prior quarter's record 59,892.

Google Android-based media tablets took up 27% of that total (or around 14,000 units), up from 15% in the previous quarter.

IDC did not break down numbers within the Android segment, but Samsung was "the clear leader" with its Tab 10.1.

"Android tablets are leveraging on its popularity in the Android smartphone market," IDC said.

Google's Android platform has majority share in the handset market, but has found the going tougher in tablets.

IDC sees Android tablets continuing to gain share this year, and passing Apple in 2016 (see chart below).

Across the ditch - where Samsung was temporarily waylaid by an (ultimately unsuccessful) Apple patent case bid to block Tab 10.1 sales - Acer was the top Android seller "by a small margin", followed closely by Motorola and Asus.

Apple will be hoping for a comeback as it launches its third-generation tablet - known simply as "iPad" this Friday.

Wi-fi over 3G
For the first time in 2011, the WiFi-only media tablet models in ANZ exceeded the combined WiFi/3G device shipments in Q4, taking up 54% of the 644,000 units shipped in Australasia during the quarter.

The figure gells with a stat Telecom CMO Jason Paris gave NBR yesterday. Mr Paris said wi-fi accounted for around 80% of tablet data use, cellular connections around 20%.

Across Australasia, 1.67 million tablets were shipped during 2011, representing 147% growth (globally, tablet shipment numbers jumped 155% while the laptop market grew at a single digit pace.)

For 2012, IDC expects the Australian tablet market to grow 50%, and the NZ market 70%.

In Australia, the new iPad (incompatible with local 4G/LTE) networks, faces possible competitive challenges from Android tablets that are compatible with 4G frequencies used in the region. New Zealand has no 4G networks, and none on the 18 month horizon.