Tablet market still wide open, report says

Though Apple® has dominated the tablet computer market since mid-2010, competition is heating up. According to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), new demand for the technology means that the tablet market is still there for the taking.

BCG notes that several things have changed since Apple first introduced the iPad® in April 2010. One of the major shifts is that Apple is no longer the only name in the market. While others struggled to compete early on, the market has proven friendly to those tablets that bring something new and wanted to the table.

Price is another factor. In 2011, a handful of tablet manufacturers managed to break away from the standard $499 price tag, finding success in introducing devices for significantly cheaper. In 2012, pricing diversification will continue, but according to BCG, consumers may also be open to more-expensive tablets that meet certain needs.

A separate study from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project finds that tablet ownership in the United States nearly doubled between December 2010 and January 2011. Bolstered by strong holiday sales, tablet manufacturers may want to ride this momentum by continuing to push out models that offer new features and capabilities.