Microsoft Windows Tablet Market Share To Almost Double By 2019, At Android's Expense

Windows 10 may finally be the push Microsoft needs to establish itself as a key player in tablets. A new report from Strategy Analytics on Monday predicted that by 2019, Windows will be running on 18 percent of tablets globally, nearly doubling its current 10 percent market share.

The report claims that 2015 has been the year that Microsoft finally got it right on tablets. It's been a long road from Windows 8, which merged tablet and desktop interfaces in a less-than-convincing way. Windows 10, with features like the Continuum interface switcher, may be the push the system needs to cement itself in the tablet space.

iOS, which runs on the iPad, is expected to claim 23 percent of the market in 2019, increasing market share by one percentage point. The big loser in the shift will be Android, whose current 68 percent share will be eroded to 59 percent towards the end of the decade.

“Windows Tablet market share has dwindled in the mid-single digit range for the last few years but Windows devices now run the gamut from 2-in-1 Tablets from E-Fun in the U.S. starting at $139 retail, to Microsoft’s Surface Book starting at $1499 retail," said Eric Smith, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics.

While Android has found strength in its low-tier offerings, Apple has positioned itself towards capturing the high end with the new iPad Pro, aiming at the enterprise customer and graphics pros. Windows, on the other hand, is opting for a more balanced approach with a combination of value and premium offerings.

The Surface Book, one of Microsoft's newest additions to the 2-in-1 hybrid space, looks like a traditional laptop, but can detach to form a tablet at a moment's notice. The company poured resources into addressing the finer details like the hinge, and its asking price means Microsoft is clearly aiming for the high end.

But even before the Surface Book was announced, analysts had been predicting a major increase in Windows tablet marketshare. An August report from IDC pointed to the release of the 2-in-1-friendly Windows 10 as a driver of growth, with its 8.4 percent market share estimated to grow to 17.5 percent by 2019.