The iPad is starting to lose ground to generic tablets

The iPad is practically synonymous with tablets, especially for the less tech savvy people out there, which is understandable considering how Apple single-handedly launched the tablet market and has a market share of 26%. However, the company has been losing some major ground to generic tablet makers which, for the first time ever, have managed to outpace both Apple and Samsung thanks to developing markets.

Generic tablet makers, or devices sold under another brand name, outpaced Apple sand Samsung in market share last year for the first time, according to a new report from researcher Strategy Analytics. This group of so-called Brand X suppliers claimed 29 percent of the worldwide tablet market in 2014, shipping some 70 million devices, the researcher found. That’s a greater market share than top vendors Apple (at 26 percent) or Samsung (at 17 percent), according to the researcher. These manufacturers are responsible for the inexpensive devices sold in emerging markets as well as those offered as part of holiday promotions in developed markets like the United States, where wireless carriers literally gave away the tablets to attract subscribers. “It’s pretty easy to find the deals: Get a data plan and a tablet for free,” said Eric Smith, a senior analyst at Strategy Analytics.