A DigiTimes article suggests that while Apple iPad shipments are expected to rise by 55% next year, Android Tablet shipments will likely rise by 134%. The report suggests that Apple's iPad is reaching a saturation point already, and that Android Tablets are basically hitting their stride. Here's a quote from the article,
With Google set to launch its new Android operating system codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich by the end of 2011, while demand for iPad is approaching saturating, shipments of Android-based tablet PCs are expected to increase from 19-20 million units in 2011 to 44-45 million units in 2012, while Apple's iPad shipments will increase from 14-15 million units in 2010, to 35-36 million units in 2011, and to 54-55 million units in 2012.
The story further elaborated that one of the factors that will fuel this explosive growth is that several processor manufacturers, like Nvidia, Texas Instrument and Qualcomm, are making new chips for Android devices, meaning a larger variety of choices will available for consumers. This includes the follow-up to the highly successful Asus Eee Pad Transformer, which is expected to come out at the end of this year. The tablet will supposedly come with the new NVIDIA, Tegra 3 quad-core and will have five-times the 3D graphic processing capability of the current Tegra 2, supporting a resolution of up to 2560 by 1600.

Additionally, industry rumor suggests that Google's Ice Cream Sandwich will arrive as the OS to meld cross-platforms for tablets, smartphones and LCD TVs, just in time to compete with Apple's newest offerings. Next year should be another exciting year for Android fans!

Source: AndroidTablets.net via DroidMatters and DigiTimes