ASUS Nexus 7 market share eclipses iPad in Japan, may be a sign of the times
Based simply on the fact that I probably see the most ASUS Nexus 7 tablets on the street next to iPad variants, I could have told you that the Nexus 7 is one of the most popular Android tablets, and probably one with some of the most mainstream adoption. However, what I wouldn’t have expected is that the Nexus 7 would be outselling the iPad anywhere, even in foreign markets such as Japan.
Surprisingly enough, if a report published yesterday by one of Japan’s largest business papers is to believed, that is exactly what has happened in Japan. According to the report, which surveyed 2,400 electronics stores, the Nexus 7 has 44.4 percent of the market to the iPad’s 40.1. It isn’t clear whether that is sales just this month or total sales over time, but the survey does include all iPad variants, including the iPad mini, in the number.
The publishers do mention that many outlets were sold out of the iPad Mini, which could have resulted in the lower iPad sales numbers. Technicalities, though, really aren’t the point. Even if this data is off and iPad sales are still slightly higher than Nexus 7 sales, it still shows a strong upward trend for Android tablets. Additionally, since the survey only counted the Nexus 7 and not all Android tablets, the potential Android lead could be even higher.
Many say that Japan often predicts market trends, and if true it seems that their market too agrees that Android tablets are now catching up to and eclipsing the iPad. The battle for phones has, for the most part, already been won, but tablets have always been a different story for Google and Android. Lately, I’ve begun to notice more and more Android tablets in the wild, and if this is any indication that number seems destined to continue climbing.
[CNET]
