Sell-in vs Sell-out

Strategy Analytics is trying really hard to make it appear as though Android tablets are hot on Apple's heels with their latest reality-twisting numbers. Neil Mawston conjures:

Android captured a record 39 percent share of global tablet shipments in Q4 2011, rising from 29 percent a year earlier. Global Android tablet shipments tripled annually to 10.5 million units. Dozens of Android models distributed across multiple countries by numerous brands such as Amazon, Samsung, Asus and others have been driving volumes. Android is so far proving relatively popular with tablet manufacturers

Are you kidding me? Android-powered tablets (note Amazon and it's barely-Android fourth cousin listed among them) shipped 10.5M units in Q4'11? Apple SOLD, to customers, 15+M units this quarter! Robin Wauters of TechCruch adds:

[These Android tablet shipment numbers] refer to ‘sell-in’ and not over-the-counter sales—an important difference, those Android tabs could sit on the shelves forever at Best Buy and never be bought.

An all-important difference indeed!

(via BusinessWire)