Sony claims to lead UK's non-iPad tablet share
updated 12:00 am EST, Wed January 25, 2012
Sony Tablet S and P claim 26pc of UK rival tablets
Sony staked out an odd consolation prize Tuesday for tablet market share. It pointed to GfK data that showed the Tablet S and Tablet P as the most popular Android tablets in the UK at least as of October, the combination of the two amounting to 26 percent of the market. The figure was calculated by value, rather than sheer units, but might have favored Sony even more since the majority Tablet S costs as much or slightly less than the Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Full quarterly results weren't available, in part since GfK was allowing for two months in case of returns and to give time to fully count sales and leftover inventory. Most such studies count shipments or immediate retail sales, which can leave some room for unsold stock.
The win shows Sony at least having some success in tablets, although Sony stayed out of the top five in the most recent tablet share data accounting for most of 2011. The Tablet S stands out through its IR blaster for remote controlling home theater gear, as well as its atypical folded-back shape. The Tablet P is a two-screen clamshell and partly intended as a PlayStation Suite-friendly gaming model.
None of the Android tablets are still believed to have come close to Apple's iPad. Amazon doesn't sell the Kindle Fire in the UK and leaves Apple without any meaningful permanent competition from economy tablets. RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook may have trumped Sony through a momentary 60 percent discount due to its own sluggish sales. [via The Telegraph]
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2008
British not brain dead
26% of British tablet buyers are not brain dead. They are just comatose and can't tell the difference between good and bad. They are also more likely to be Windows sufferers and likely don't think well on their own.