A new report this morning states that there will be 51.29 million tablets shipped globally in the fourth quarter of 2016, increasing 7.3% on quarter but decreasing 21.5% on year. Shipments will consist of 10.9 million iPads, up 17.2% sequentially, 24.4 million units launched by international vendors other than Apple, up 18.3%, and 16.0 million white-box units, down 10.6%, according to Digitimes Research.

In terms of application processors used in tablets, Apple will account for 30.9% of all tablets except white-box units, MediaTek 23.8%, Qualcomm 11.8%, Samsung Electronics 8.9% and Intel 8.5%.

Among vendors, Apple will be the largest accounting for 21.3% of shipments, followed by Samsung with 15.0%, Amazon 6.2%, Lenovo 6.1%, Huawei Technologies 5.9%, Asustek Computer 2.8%, TCL 2.7%, Microsoft 2.6%, LG Electronics 1.6% and Acer 1.2%.

Taiwan-based ODMs and OEMs will ship 15.1 million tablets in the quarter, with Foxconn Electronics to account for 66.8% of shipments, Pegatron 11%, Compal Electronics 10.9%, Quanta Computer 6.8%, Inventec 2.5%, Arima Communications 1.6% and Wistron 0.5%.

Interestingly the report notes that 7-inch models will account for 31.4% of shipments, an area of the market that Apple doesn't cover at all. With Lenovo's new smartphone offering a 6.4" display, it's clear that there's a sweet spot in that tight range that interests consumers.

Apple's iPad mini offers a 7.9-inch display and that segments shipments accounted for 14.3% of sales followed by 8.0 to 8.9-inch models at 11.6%, 9.0 to 9.9-inch models at 20.3%, 10.0 to 10.9-inch models at 16.4%, and lastly 11-inch and above models at 6.1%, Digitimes Research indicated.

In Q3 2016 IDC had Apple as the number one tablet vendor globally with shipments of 9.3 million units holding 21.5% market share.

During Apple's last Financial Conference Call Apple's CFO Luca Maestri noted that "For the September quarter, Apple had 82% market share in tablets over $200.

In addtion, among US consumers considering the purchase of a tablet in the next six months, 73% plan to purchase an iPad, which is more than 8 times the purchase intention rate of next highest brand measured. The iPad Pro is the number one tablet consumers are considering.

And lastly, Maestri noted that Revel Systems, a leading iPad point of sale solution partner, recently announced a global agreement with Shell retail to implement Revel's iPad-based POI system and services at 34,000 Shell locations worldwide, including support for Apple Pay in countries where Apple Pay is available.

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