Australia-New Zealand (ANZ) tablets market recorded a 147% year-on-year increase in the first quarter of 2013 with sales of about 1.14 million units, according to a report from International Data Corporation (IDC).
According to the report, the growth was driven by the increase in demand for smaller, cheaper Android and Windows tablets.
IDC ANZ Infrastructure Research Group associate market analyst, Suzanne Tai, said that the users now have better access to a wide range of low to high-end tablets as well as different operating systems compared to last year.
"In 2012, an user would usually choose between an Apple iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab but now, a year later, brands like ASUS, Acer, and Microsoft would also appear on the user’s radar," Tai added.
"Whitebox tablets have picked up significantly as well, driven with heavy promotions by retailers such as Aldi, Harvey Norman, K-Mart and Warehouse Stationary.
Android is growing its foothold in the marketplace, thanks to Samsung’s aggressiveness with promotions and channel strategies, as well as the influx of whitebox tablets."
"Additionally, Windows tablets are also gaining traction with entry of new models, pilot rollouts and implementations in commercial sector especially in education."
Tablets market of the ANZ region is expected to increase by 46% in 2013 compared to 2012, driven by the introduction of new tablets, increasing commercial uptake of tablets, increasing demand as a result of price drops and PC cannibalisation.
The research firm expects that in 2013, the Windows and Android tablet shipments will increase taking hold of the from the current iOS tablets.
The introduction of new cheap Android tablets from PC giants like HP, ASUS and Acer is expected to increase price competition within the tablets market.