Parks Associates research released yesterday revealed that Apple's shares of the tablet market are falling, decreasing from 46% in 1Q 2012 to 37% today. Rival companies Samsung and Amazon are picking up the extra shares, both vying for second place with about 15% of the tablet market. 

The new research comes from the firm's primary consumer study, 360 View: Mobility and the App Economy, which also shows that 60% of U.S. broadband households own a tablet.

Though Apple's share of the market may be slipping, Apple Pay may be the copany's saving grace. Promising features such as features like touch ID integration, payment tokenization, and NFC support, "Apple Pay on iPad can go a long way in helping Apple arrest its shrinking market share in the tablet marketplace," Parks Associates analyst Tejas Mehta said. "If Apple is able to deliver a seamless payment experience, with tight security and broad merchant support, the firm could turn the mobile wallet into a differentiator for the tablet market."

The new tablet research also shows:

• 16% of U.S. broadband households have an Amazon tablet and 14% have a Samsung tablet, while Apple's share has dropped from 46% in 1Q 2012 to 37% (including a combination of the iPad and the iPad Mini).
• Over 60% of U.S. broadband households now have a tablet, and 52% own both a smartphone and a tablet, up from 25% in 2011.
• 14% of U.S. broadband households use both an iPhone and an iPad; 15% use both an Android phone and an Android tablet; 11% use one Android device and one iOS device.
• 70% of U.S. broadband households with a household income of $100,000 or more own both a tablet and a smartphone.
• By 2017, mobile wallet use will reach over 43% of smartphone owners.
• Almost 50% of U.S. smartphone owners find the convenience of an NFC-enabled mobile wallet application appealing.

For more information on Parks Associates tablet research, click here. To request comments from Parks Associates' mobile analysts, contact Holly Sprague via email.

Tejas Mehta is part of the Digital Health and Mobile Product research team. He studies mobile industry trends including wireless carrier strategies, wireless network optimization and monetization strategies, wireless devices, mobile app ecosystem, and other mobile related services.

Further Reading:

• Samsung and Amazon tied for second place in tablet market as Apple's shares fall
• 360 View: Mobility and the App Economy
• OTT Video Rentals and Purchasing Trends
• Consumers Still Prefer Televisions over Tablets and Smartphones for Video Content