The latest research from market research company Strategy Analytics (SA) has found that global tablet shipments reached 24.9 million units during Q2 2012, an significant increase of 67% from Q2 2011’s 14.9 million.

According to the firm’s tablet and touchscreen strategies (TTS) service, Apple managed to increase its share of the global tablet market to a whopping 68%, up from 62% the previous year. This marks the Cupertino-based iPhone and iPad maker’s highest level for almost two years, as the company shipped a record 17 million iPads within the last quarter.  

Cupertino continues to dominate the tablet landscape, despite a growing number of  Android-based media tablets, with the iPad’s worldwide tablet share reaching its highest level since Q3 2010.

Tablets based upon Google’s Android mobile operating system (OS) captured 29% share of global tablet shipments in Q2 2012, remaining static as Android’s slice of the tablet pie was the same during Q2 2011. It is worth noting though that Android tablet shipments increased globally by over half to 7.3 million units though.

According to SA, Android tablet OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) have yet to make a serious dent in Apple’s tablet sales, despite high expectations from firms such as Amazon, Samsung, and Asus. The analytics firm attributed the mixed performance to unspectacular hardware designs, limited uptake of cellular-enabled models as well as a modest number of tablet-optimised services.

SA stated that Microsoft’s tablets remain niche products, but also highlighted the fact that prospective buyers are keeping tabs on news surrounding upcoming Windows 8 launches.

• Demand for tablets worldwide remained relatively healthy, although this was the industry’s slowest growth rate since the tablet market began in Q2 2010.
• Microsoft captured a global tablet share of just 1% in Q2 2012. The upcoming release of Windows 8 should see the software giant’s hardware partners, including Dell and Acer, start competing more effectively within the tablet space.