Samsung Closes Gap With Apple in Tablet Shipments

Everyone knows that mobile devices are only getting more popular the farther we journey into the 21^st century. What people may not realize is just how popular they have become. A new study by ABI Research shows that more than 41 million branded tablets shipped worldwide in just the first quarter of 2014. That’s good news for almost everyone making tablets but its especially good news for Samsung, which has continued to close the gap with Apple.

In total, the new report indicates that Apple and Samsung are combining to leave the rest of the branded tablet market in the dust. The two companies combined to make up more than 71 percent of the total tablet market share in the first fiscal quarter of 2014. ABI says the new report shows the two companies are as close as they’ve ever come and the duo is well ahead of the rest of the pack.

“Despite questions remaining about data disclosure in 2010 and 2011, Samsung’s release of tablet sales data this past quarter is a good sign for the mobile computing market,” senior practice director Jeff Orr said in a statement accompanying the report. “Whether due to its confidence in the economy, its own business, or a combination of reasons, Samsung continues to demonstrate tablet growth as its 2013 retail push in North America and Western Europe pays off.”

In total, Apple finished a little more than three million units shipped ahead of Samsung (16.4 million to 13 million) and both companies left the third place finisher well in the dust. ASUS trailed the two bigwigs but finished ahead of the rest of the competition thanks in large part its Google Nexus 7 tablets. Still, the 2.1 million units shipped is a rather paltry number compared to Apple and Samsung.

Apple might have shipped more than ASUS and Samsung combined, but Android managed to continue to outpace iOS by nearly 17 percent (56.3 to 39.6 percent) when it came to marketshare. Microsoft came in a distant third in opertating system marketshare with 4.1 percent.