Global tablet shipments reached 57.6 million units in the first quarter of 2014, with Android securing “a robust 66 per cent” share, according to Strategy Analytics.

The company said that iPad shipments were “below expectations”, with iOS market share falling to 28 per cent. Windows secured 6 per cent, with other platforms contributing “0 per cent”.

Peter King, director of tablets for the research firm, said: “Apple iOS shipments (sell-in) were 16.4 million iPads in Q1 2014, which declined 16 per cent annually, but Apple claimed that due to channel inventory changes – which were reduced significantly from the same period last year – sell-through only declined 3 per cent. We believe that the disappointing performance in the early part of the calendar year is because Apple has changed its product release cycle to the holiday timeframe.”

iOS is likely to lose market share over the next several months to refreshed Android products, but “we believe Apple will win back meaningful high-end market share during the final months of the calendar year”.

Strategy Analytics suggested there may be an “uptick” for Windows, following Microsoft’s decision to offer the platform free for sub-9-inch devices. It said that “they will still not be as inexpensive as Android, but it will enable them to be more competitive and appealing to a wider audience”.