WinBeta received early access to a report by the 1010data Ecom Insights Panel that assesses overall tablet popularity from January 2014 to October 2015. It looks at the top 100 online retailers in the United States that together sell over 95 percent of the physical products sold online.
The report has found that Microsoft’s share of the market has steadily grown since January, rising by about 1 percent a month. In August, it notably jumped up about 5 percent, suggesting the July launch of Windows 10 drove more people to buy Surface devices. The real peak occurs in October though, when Microsoft’s share of online sales rises from around 25 percent in September to 45 percent. Apple’s share declines from 35 percent to only 17 percent.
Online Tablet Share Trending by Brand YTD
1010data Ecom Insights Panel , WinBeta
The reason for this sudden spike in popularity can be attributed to the launch of the Surface Pro 4, the latest incarnation of the Surface tablet. Microsoft managed to dominate the market after the device’s release, sending Apple’s relative sales plummeting down. Microsoft still sells less tablets in total but makes more money from each one. The report found the average selling price of a Surface device is $844, compared with $392 for an iPad.
Looking across the past twelve months, Microsoft has managed to gain a solid foothold into the market. Apple still leads overall at 34 percent but Microsoft now has a strong second with 19 percent. It is followed by Amazon at 11 percent and Samsung at 9 percent. It is clear that the hybrid construction of the Surface is beginning to gain fans.
Share of Top Brands Selling Tablets Online – Last 12 Months
1010data Ecom Insights Panel , WinBeta
Microsoft is evidently no longer the underdog it once was. It has pulled through the $900 million dollar write-down of the first-generation Surface to create the Surface Pro 3 and 4, products that are beginning to pose a real threat to Apple, a company already facing steadily declining tablet sales.
The important holiday season is still approaching and all manufacturers will be seeing a boost in sales over the next few weeks. Apple recently launched the iPad Pro, a large-screened variant of the iPad aimed at the professional audience of productivity-seekers that Microsoft has targeted for years.
Microsoft is still playing catch-up but its endeavours to create the “tablet that can replace your laptop” seem to be finally paying off on the back of strong tablet sales in general in the third quarter of the year. Average monthly sales grew $60 million between June and October, boosted by new iPads and the Surface Pro 4.
