Based on display purchases, NPD thinks Android is pulling away from iOS on tablets in 2013

Research firm NPD posted a new report on Tuesday that claimed display shipments of 7-inch tablets overtook 10-inch tablets in December 2012 and January 2013

The full-sized iPad likely accounts for most of the 9.7-inch display shipments in NPD’s chart above, whereas Android tablets or iPad minis likely constitute 7.9-inch displays. Android tablets and Windows 8/RT tablets could also take up the lion’s share of 10.1-inch tablets. Most Android tablets come in either 7-inch and 10.1-inch display sizes, though.

Therefore, including display shipments based on Q4, Tech-Thoughts postulated the following graph for display shipments by platform:

Shipments for iPad displays fell nearly 50 percent from December 2012 to January 2013, indicating Android is pulling away from iOS tablets and gaining speed. Tech-Thoughts attributed the change to an 80-percent drop in shipments of 10-inch iPad displays.

A probable strong demand for smaller-sized tablets indicates a simultaneous demand for cheaper, more attractive price points, and it could explain why 7-inch Android tablets have overtaken both the 7.9-inch iPad mini and 10-inch iPad.

It is worth noting that display shipments for Apple’s iPad mini, based on the above graphs, suggest it is cannibalizing the full-sized iPad.