Gap Between Apple & Android Tablet Market Shares To Decrease by 2015 [REPORT]

After predicting the state of the smartphone market in the next five years, market research firm Gartner has posted its predictions about the tablet market.

Here, Gartner’s job is easier: Since no single device or even a platform has come close to Apple’s iOS on the tablet market, it’s quite safe to say that Apple will continue to dominate in the next couple of years, and Gartner agrees.

According to Gartner’s predictions, Apple’s iOS will drop from its current 83.9% market share to 68.7% in 2011. But it will stay at a healthy 63.5% in 2012, retaining almost half of the market (47.1%) by 2015 with a projected 138.5 million units sold.

By that time, Android is projected to grab 38.6% of the market, RIM’s QNX, which powers BlackBerry PlayBook will have 10%, and everyone else – MeeGo, WebOS and others – will have a minute 4.2% combined.

With recent reports of the Motorola Xoom’s sales being underwhelming, and Samsung hastily redesigning its Galaxy Tab 10.1 to make it more competitive with the iPad 2, Apple doesn’t seem to be facing any immediate threats in the tablet department.