A new report out from Gartner Research reveals that Google’s Android mobile operating system took the market-share lead in 2013 from Apple’s iOS platform. In a startling role reversal, Android jumped from 46 % to 62% of 2013 tablet sales, while Apple’s OS dropped from 53% to 36%.

Apple, as the only vendor of iOS devices, remained the top single device builder in the tablet realm, with that 36% of sales. Among Android builders, Samsung is far in the lead with 19% over 5.6% of sales for ASUS.

Gartner attributes the emergence of Android as the dominant tablet platform to improved quality in low-priced devices, while Apple continues to do well among premium buyers. Emerging markets (generally buying lower-cost technology) grew 145% in 2013, while mature market grew 31%, accordind to the report summary.