Tablet Device Market Share: Apple, Google Duking It Out – 150 Million Tablets Shipped This Year, Report Says

Tablet Device Market Share: If you don’t believe that tablets are taking over the world, you must not be paying attention very closely. There are many companies fighting for the top spot in this growing market, with Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) among the key competitors.

ABI Research recently published this report: Tablet Sales to Reach $64 Billion in 2013; up 28% as Tide Turns to Android

As you can see, this market intelligence firm feels that the tablet market will continue to grow as 2013 wears on, which will ultimately help Apple, Google and the rest of the players in this space.

Of course, the more interesting piece of the puzzle is that ABI expects the Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system to put up a fight against its primary competitor, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).

With convenience and mobility two of the biggest benefits, there is no reason to believe that sales of tablet devices–particularly those from Apple or Google–are going to slow down anytime in the near future.

Here is a brief excerpt from the ABI report, showing just how big things are going to get this year:

“In 2013, approximately 150 million tablets (up 38% year-over-year) are forecasted to ship globally worth an estimated $64 billion (up 28% from 2012) in potential end-user revenues, according to market intelligence firm ABI Research.”

With volume growth of nearly 40 percent, year over year, there is no denying the fact that the tablet market is taking off.

This means one thing: companies such as Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) are in prime position to take full advantage.

While Apple has been the perennial top dog in this market, thanks to its iPad and iPad mini, tablets powered by the Google Android operating system are beginning to bite into Cupertino’s market share.

Last year, roughly 60 percent of tablet shipments relied on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iOS operating system. This is compared to 37 percent based on Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s OS.

Mobile devices senior practice director Jeff Orr expects Google Inc to continue its surge:

“The tide is definitely turning toward Android-based tablets, though Apple will not slouch as it feels the competition approaching.”

Most people agree that Samsung has the best chance of chasing Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) down in the tablet market, much the same way as it has done regarding its smart phones.

It will be interesting to see if Apple is able to keep its lead, especially with rumors that its next generation iPad is on the way.

While Google and Apple continue to dominate this market, check out the video on the next page to see which company is coming up short: