Telsyte is predicting that over one million tablet devices will be sold in Australia in 2011 as more content, updated software and better hardware become available.

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The company said that a number of factors including the push for more media tablet apps, rapid cannibalisation of other markets, increase in features, decrease in price and greater familiarity amongst consumers will drive the sales of tablets next year.

Apple is expected to remain the leader in the market with a 60 percent share next year (down from 90 percent in 2010), while Android devices are expected to have 35 percent market share in 2011.

In addition, Telsyte estimates that around 400,000 Australian consumers will be using a media tablet by the end of 2010, with approximately a quarter sharing a device. The company estimates that around 20,000 Australian businesses have purchased at least one media tablet for their organisation.

Telsyte also forecasts the media tablet market to grow from $292 million in 2010 to $1.35bn in 2014.  

Telsyte Research Director, Foad Fadaghi said, “The Australian media tablet market is poised to explode. Media tablets are an industry transforming device with implications for hardware vendors, media organisations, software companies and telecom carriers.”