iPad crushes expected Kindle and Samsung tablet sales in U.S.

ChangeWave surveyed nearly 3,000 U.S. consumers to see which tablets they would be buying in the next three months, and a whooping 73% of planned tablet buyers (which was about 7% of the sample) said they would be getting an iPad, compared to a  meager 8% of projected Kindle Fire purchases and 6% of those getting a Samsung Galaxy Tab. Looking back at the first quarter of 2012, ABI Research has confirmed the trend, claiming that Apple had claimed 65% of the market.

Existing owners also reported on satisfaction. 81% of third-generation iPad owners were "Very Satisfied", compared to 71% of iPad 2 owners, 46% of Samsung Galaxy Tab owners, and 41% of Kindle Fire owners. 11% of Samsung Galaxy Tab owners reported being "Somewhat Unsatisfied" with their device, compared to 2% of both iPad model owners.

Finally, the poll probed interest in a smaller iPad, which is a rumor we've been hearing floating around for some time now. 3% of respondents said they were "Very Likely" to pick up an iPad Mini for themselves or a friend, while 14% said they were "Somewhat Likely" to do so.

Even though the iPad is slowly dipping in its overall command of the landscape, it's still safe to say that there isn't so much of a "tablet market" as there is "an iPad market". Even among mobile PC manufacturers, the iPad has been trouncing the likes of Acer, Lenovo, HP, and ASUS. Right now, it seems like the biggest competition for the iPad will be Windows 8 machines that offer a big-boy operating system in a tablet form factor with a keyboard dock for those times when you want a laptop experience, but those are still a ways off, and even once they come out, the iPad will likely maintain a lead on price point.

On that note, my interest in the rumored iPad Mini is directly proportional to its price. If it actually does launch at $200 - $300, sign me up - especially if it manages to keep the Retina display resolution. Would you be interested in a smaller or iPad, or do you find the current size portable enough? Have you ever been interested in a Kindle Fire for its portability?

Source: ChangeWave, ABI