10.6 per cent of US consumers, aged 16 and over, now own a Tablet, according to research from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. The iPad remains dominant, accounting for nearly two thirds of all Tablets owned. However, over the past six months, its share of sales has fallen to 50 per cent, as competitor products start to make inroads into the Tablet market.

30 per cent of consumers intending to buy a Tablet in the next year are still undecided about which brand to buy, with 12 per cent saying they would buy the Amazon Kindle Fire.

Dominic Sunnebo, global consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, says: “Apple’s achievements in this market are clearly linked to its success in the smartphone market, with one in four iPhone users owning a Tablet. Furthermore, 72 per cent of people who already own an iPhone and plan to purchase a Tablet, intend to buy an iPad. This is clearly something other manufacturers will have to contend with if they want to challenge Apple. That said, the Kindle Fire is proving an attractive option to iPhone owners too, with 10 per cent saying they are likely to buy one over the next 12 months.”

Only 36 per cent of Tablets bought have 3G capabilities, however, and 34.8 per cent of 3G-capable Tablets that have been sold have never been connected to a cellular, as opposed to wi-fi, network.