Sales were reportedly six times larger in the third quarter than in the first, reaching $415 million for the nine month period.
In contrast, Apple sold 32.4 million iPads during its FY2011, which runs October 2010 to September 2011.
Number two
"If you look at the tablet market without Apple there are a number of high-profile brands vying for that number two spot," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD.
"According to NPD's Consumer Tracking Service, 76 percent of consumers who purchased a non-Apple tablet didn't even consider the iPad, an indication that a large group of consumers are looking for alternatives, and an opportunity for the rest of the market to grow their business," he added.
"The market is filled with long-time PC and phone brands as well as low-cost entrants. With a limited amount of shelf space and challenges in overcoming the iPads first mover strength, not all brands will be successful."
Hewlett-Packard took the largest portion of the market share with 17 percent thanks to its TouchPad clear out, with Samsung close behind with 16 percent.
Protection racket
Total sales for tablets and accessories to-date in 2011 was around $700 million, a figure which Baker believes indicates lucrative opportunities for tablet accessory makers.
"Consumers are investing in expensive portable devices that they want to protect so it's not surprising that cases and screen protectors are driving in a significant amount of revenue," said Baker.
"This is a great opportunity for the accessory manufacturers already in the market to ramp up products and designs and an opportunity for newcomers to get into a fast-growing segment."
[source: NPD Group]
