Two different studies released on Wednesday reached similar conclusions that executives at Cupertino-based Apple probably would not want to hear. That is the imminent global dominance of the Android OS in the tablet market similar to what happened in the smartphone market.

The Australian Financial Review warned that the iPad would soon be dethroned from being king in Australia within the next year and a half, while tablets with the Android OS made by rival companies would dominate the market.

The bad news for Apple, but good news for Android fans, came from Tim Sheedy, analyst of Forrester Research, who explained, "Devices running Android generally have lower price points and broader ranges of features, functionalities, and sizes, making Android the platform driving mass table adoption."

In September 2013, research company Telsyte made similar predictions that Apple would be kicked out from the number position in tablet sales in the Land Down Under within two years.

The situation is true not only in Australia, but mirrors global trends. In early 2014, Gartner reported that even in 2013, Android tablets have already overtaken iPads in market share.

Currently, tablet adoption rate in Australia among adults is less than 30 per cent. Many of these early users buy the popular brands that are run by the Android OS such as Samsung - Apple's bitter rival for the number 1 post - and Google, Sony, Asus, Amazon and Acer.

By gender, 72 per cent of Aussie tablet users are women, while 46 per cent of Aussie adult men who own tablets use the iPad. In contrast, only 20 per cent of women used Android tablets versus 44 per cent of men.

Meanwhile, another study by ABI Research also reached the same conclusion that the iPad's reign globally is ending soon and Android tablets will soon sit on the throne.

The study also showed a 30 per cent drop in tablet shipment compared to 2013.

Shipment is expected to recover in the later part of 2014, but it would be in favour of Android tablets, said Jeff Orr, senior practice director of ABI.

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