Micromax trumps Apple, Samsung as tablet shipments cross half-a-million units a quarter in India

Micromax led Samsung and Apple in tablet shipments in India in the quarter ending June 2012, according to CyberMedia Research.
Tablet shipment in India grew by 673 percent year-on-year and 59 percent over the preceding quarter to reach 0.55 million units. According to the report, Micromax had a 18.4 percent market share followed by Samsung at 13.3 percent and Apple at 12.3 percent.
CyberMedia Research claims attributes the phenomenal growth to the increasing number of vendors from last year, with about 90 different brands offering tablets at the end of second quarter. The average selling price of tablets have also halved to slightly over Rs 13,000 from Rs 26,000 in first quarter of 2012. The market is being flooded with tablets in the Rs 5,000-Rs 10,000 range and we expect the average selling price to drop even further in the next quarter.
Even though India still remains a relatively smart market for tablets, the success of cheaper, smaller 7-inch tablets indicates there is an appetite for this form-factor, provided tier one brands percolate into lower price points. We believe this is where the iPad mini will come into play, especially if Apple can price it anywhere close to Rs 15,000.