Tablet OS market share worldwide 2016-2020, by quarter

The global tablet operating systems market is dominated by Android, Apple iOS and Windows. Android is the leading operating system for tablet devices with a market share of 58.5 percent as of the fourth quarter of 2020.

What is a tablet?

   Short for tablet computer, a tablet is a mobile computing device with a relatively large touchscreen – the most common size for a tablet is around 10 inches. Tablet sales hit the peak in 2014, when around 230 million devices were being sold. The market gradually approached the saturation point since then, as shipments have been decreasing year after year. Similar to traditional PCs, tablets use different operating systems to run different applications and functions.

Apple, the leading tablet vendor

    The Apple iPad has been the leading tablet device since its introduction to the market in 2010. Like its other revolutionary product, the iPhone, the iPad has also dramatically changed the tablet market not only in terms of technology but also consumer expectations. The iPad, along with other devices from different vendors, contribute to a growing worldwide penetration of tablet devices, with close to 20 percent of the global population projected to use a tablet device in 2021.