Ahead of a tablet bloodbath expected over Christmas this year, IDC has revealed that the market grew by 49.5 per cent – to 27.8m – from Q3 2011 to the same period in 2012.

Although Apple has relinquished some of its vast market share, it still makes up half of all tablets shipped, at 50.4 per cent, and grew 26.1 per cent from 2011 to 2012.

“We believe a sizeable percentage of consumers interested in buying an Apple tablet sat out the third quarter in anticipation of an announcement about the new iPad mini,” said Tom Mainelli, research director, tablets at IDC.

“Now that the new mini, and a fourth-generation full-sized iPad, are both shipping we expect Apple to have a very good quarter. However, we believe the minis relatively high $329 starting price leaves plenty of room for Android vendors to build upon the success they achieved in the third quarter.”

The Galaxy Tab and Note 10.1 saw Samsung into second place, with 18.4 per cent market share and 5.1m tablets shipped worldwide in Q3 2012. This is an increase of 325 per cent from last year, when it shipped 1.2m.

“Samsung took advantage of an opportunity in the second quarter,” said Ryan Reith, program manager, IDCs Mobile Device Trackers. “Its growth to 18.4 per cent of worldwide market share during the quarter represents the first time a competitor has attained this level of share since the original launch of the iPad.”

Amazon only entered the US market in Q4 2011, launching 7” and 8.9” Kindle Fire HD versions in five European countries in September this year, but already lies in third position, with 9 per cent market share and 2.5m products shipped.

ASUS, makers of the Nexus 7, takes fourth place, shipping 2.4m devices, giving it 8.6 per cent share. Lenovo saw a 100 per cent increase in shipments over the year, taking it from 200,000 to 400,000, and into fifth place.

As the rest of the top five all run on Android, whether modified, or are only on some of a manufacturers devices, this makes the tablet race something of a proxy war between Apple and Google.

“With the recent introduction of a number of Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets, consumers now have a third viable tablet platform from which to choose,” Reith continued. “However, price points are critical in tablets, and Microsoft and its partners will have a tough time winning a share of consumer wallet with price points starting at $500.”