Microsoft has yet to launch its tablet-optimized operating system and yet slates running various versions of the Windows operating system still managed to outsell Research In Motion’s BlackBerry PlayBook last quarter. According to market research firm Strategy Analytics’ latest report, Windows-powered media tablets owned 4.6% of the global market in the second quarter of 2011. In the same period, RIM’s PlayBook made up just 3.3% of the market. The firm also shows that competition may finally be heating up in the tablet space. Apple, which owned more than 94% of the market in the second quarter last year, saw the iPad’s share slide to 61.3% according to Strategy Analytics. Over the same period of time, Android tablets jumped from a 2.9% share to a 30% share last quarter. Strategy Analytics’ report comes just one week after rumors surfaced that RIM may soon discontinue its current Wi-Fi tablet. RIM would later adamantly deny the rumors, saying it had “no plan to discontinue” production of its Wi-Fi PlayBook. RIM stated last month that it shipped 500,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets in the fiscal first quarter following the tablet’s debut this past April.

Zach Epstein has worked in and around ICT for more than 15 years, first in marketing and business development with two private telcos, then as a writer and editor covering business news, consumer electronics and telecommunications. Zach’s work has been quoted by countless top news publications in the US and around the world. He was also recently named one of the world's top-10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes, as well as one of Inc. Magazine's top-30 Internet of Things experts.