Non-Apple tablets primed to grow, study predicts

Since its release in 2010, Apple's iPad has been the dominant tablet in the burgeoning market. But, according to a recent report from ecommerce company Xpshou.com, non-Apple tablets are poised to make some significant noise in the coming years.

Xpshou predicts that non-Apple tablet sales will grow by 134 percent in the next year. This will be largely driven by the emergence of devices based on Google's Android mobile operating system, of which shipments are expected to increase from 19 million units this year to 44 million units in 2012.

However, other mobile operating systems, such as Microsoft's Windows 7, will likely make more than a dent in the market as well. For example, the Windows-based IdeaPad Tablet P1 from Lenovo is slated to ship later this year and is expected to have an impact on business users and consumers alike.

This development in the tablet software market will also lead to a shift in hardware as well. According to Xpshou, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Nvidia are each expected to release processors designed specifically for tablets within the next year.

A separate study from Compass Intelligence shows that, regardless of software, tablet adoption is primed to skyrocket. According to the report, 55 percent of surveyed consumers are interested in purchasing a tablet.