Will Apple lose the tablet war?

With the rise of cheap tablets running android, the future of apple as the dominant platform for egaming looks under threat

The cover of the November issue of technology magazine Stuff features the new iPhone 5s and the headline “Too late, Apple… Google has already won”. It would be foolhardy to write off Apple, but history has taught us that consumers are a fickle bunch and the mobile landscape can mutate pretty sharply (just look at Nokia’s ignominious downfall).

Burton, though, anticipates Android’s grip on the market tightening. “I’d expect it to become increasingly diff cult for Apple to continue its spectacular growth in the iPad and iPhone markets and, at the same time, there will be other new entrants into the low-end Android tablet space, which will lead to further device sprawl.”

Indeed, bargain basement Android tablets boasting solid specs could prove especially popular with price-conscious consumers. Grocery giant Tesco has recently unveiled its own seven-inch tablet, Hudl, which retails for just £120. Meanwhile, the £130 Memo Pad HD 7 by Asus has received glowing reviews. Budget tablets could very well tap into a whole new breed of gambler.

For instance, just 10% of BetVictor’s Android customers wager via tablets, so these devices lag a long way behind the smartphone. And while Android is pulling away from iOS, and dominating its rival in key markets, the slugfest for OS supremacy (iOS and Apple account for around 90% of the duopoly) benefits the gambling industry, says Boeskov

“While they are fundamentally different, I certainly think the competition between Android and iOS pushes innovation and performance, which will benefit all customers and us.” The OS war rages on.