• ZDnet, Tuesday, January 18, 2011 2:54 PM

If there was any doubt that Apple currently dominates the tablet market, new IDC data shows that iPads accounted for 90% of all such devices sold in the third quarter. What's more, "IDC reports that Apple's iPad drove tablet demand almost exclusively in the third quarter," notes ZDNet. "Global tablet shipments in the third quarter checked in at 4.8 million units in the third quarter, up from 3.3 million in the second quarter."

Meanwhile, Amazon has a commanding 41.5% share of the e-reader market, while e-reader shipments were 2.7 million units in the third quarter -- up 40% year-over-year. "Price cuts helped spur e-reader sales," ZDNet points out, adding: "The U.S. market accounts for almost 75 percent of the global e-reader market." For 2010, IDC estimates that 17 million tablets will ship. In 2011, the tablet tally will be about 44.6 million. Meanwhile, "While Apple has a massive lead, the ramp of Android based tablets are expected to surge." In particular, the Samsung Galaxy Tab was the first high-end Android tablet to launch and is expected to translate to fourth quarter sales.

Read the whole story at ZDnet »