iPad soaring or iPad screwed: two different views on the same data

Figures to be published later this week by Kantar Worldpanel ComTec show that 73% of UK tablet owners have an iPad. They also show that half of those who intend to buy a tablet in the next 12 months say they will choose an iPad, with fewer than 7% choosing its closest rival, the Samsung Galaxy, and a sizeable 28% saying they are undecided.

The Financial Times chose to report Kantar’s findings under the headline ‘Apple dominates UK tablet sales.’ That seems like a fairly reasonable view. With nearly three-quarters of the market already cornered, 50% of next year’s sales bagged, and with another 28% of next year’s sales up for grabs (and let’s be honest, no one really expects many more than, say, a quarter of that 28% to buy anything other than an iPad) all would appear to be rosy as far as UK iPad sales are concerned.

Odd then that the Guardian chose to report the same set of data with the headline ‘Apple’s 73% UK tablet market share “set to fall”.’ It’s true that if none of the undecided 28% plump for an iPad then Apple’s share of the market will be diluted. On the other hand, if they all go for an iPad, it will increase (all other things being equal). Nowhere in the data does it say that the iPad’s share of the UK market is ‘set to fall’ despite the quotation marks in the Guardian’s headline.

When it comes to interpreting market data, you pays your money and you takes your choice. But I can’t help but wonder if one of those two interpretations was deliberately mischievous.

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