Tablet sales drop 30 percent in first quarter

After a strong holiday season last year, tablet computer sales are expected to drop 30.6 percent in the first quarter of 2012, according to figures from DigiTimes Research.

The news provider forecasts that tablet sales will reach 14.9 million during the first quarter. Though this is a dip from the holiday season, it does represent a sizable 77.6 percent increase from the first quarter of 2011.

With 11 million units expected to be sold, DigiTimes reports that Apple's iPad® will continue to lead the market in terms of sales, and the first quarter may see the introduction of the third generation of the device. Tablet computers based on Google's Android™ will decrease quarter to quarter, to just shy of 4 million units.

The holidays are a strong season for electronics sales as a whole, and the significant drop off isn't unexpected. However, other factors may be contributing to the deceleration of tablet sales as well -- chiefly, the impending launch of Microsoft's Windows® 8. Many people are holding out for the dual-natured operating system, which was introduced in 2011 and will run on both tablets and traditional PCs. The software will begin shipping in late 2012.