Android tops as tablets go mainstream: report

SAN FRANCISCO - Tablet computer sales soared last year with Android-powered devices dethroning iPads atop a booming global market, according to figures released Monday by Gartner.

Sales of tablet computers surged to 195.4 million last year in a 68 per cent jump from what was seen in 2012, the industry tracker reported.

The raw number of iPads sold climbed more than 9 million to a total of 70.4 million.

Meanwhile, the portion of sales grabbed by tablets running on Google-back Android rose to 61.9 per cent last year from 45.8 per cent in 2012, according to Gartner.

"In 2013, tablets became a mainstream phenomenon, with a vast choice of Android-based tablets being within the budget of mainstream consumers while still offering adequate specifications," Gartner research director Roberta Cozza said in a release.

Apple continues to rule the high-end of the market with iPads, but low-cost Android tablets appeal to buyers with slim budgets in emerging markets, according to Gartner.