According to a recent report by Futuresource Consulting 'The Tablet Technology and Markets', the global tablet market is expected to sell 234 million units in 2016, up from 64 million units in 2011, and is estimated to witness a 200% increase for consumer use across the United States and Western Europe during the next two years. Mobile application downloads have also risen in 2011, with tablets accounting for 10% of total downloads. 

Google is being sued for changing its privacy policy in order to collect data about signed-in users across a variety of platforms, including Android, Gmail and YouTube. "This change violates Google's prior privacy policies, which deceived and misled consumers by stating that Google would not utilize information provided by a consumer in connection with his or her use of one service, with any other service, for any reason, without the consumer's consent," said David Nisenbaum, Pedro Marti and Allison Weiss in their complaint against the company which was filed on Wednesday.  

Google has launched a beta version of Chrome for Android smartphones and tablets. "Our goal was to get all of Chrome onto Android, "said Sundar Pichai, senior vice president of Google Chrome. The computer browser was launched in 2008, when Google decided to take on Microsoft, Mozilla by launching its own internet browser. Since then, Chrome has increased its browser market share. It recently surpassed Firefox and has become a popular alternative to the dominant Internet Explorer.

According to Strategy Analytics, Android secured a 39% share of the global tablet market during the fourth quarter. Although Apple still holds the lead with 58%, Android has gained a considerable share of the market. Microsoft only managed to hit 1.5%, as it only shipped around 400,000 units. Strategy Analytics has also revealed that global tablet shipments reached an all-time high of 26.8 million units in the fourth quarter, increasing by over 150% from the previous year.