Argos has denied that its £100 MyTablet is being withdrawn from sale after being widely panned by critics, saying instead that short supply has been caused by excessive demand.
A source at one retailer told the Guardian that the MyTablet had been pulled from sale because of unfavourable reviews, citing a poor screen and issues with build quality, including gaping around the screen and body.
An Argos spokesperson insisted negative reviews were not related to MyTablet's "out of stock" status.
“We have been pleasantly surprised by the high levels of demand for MyTablet which have exceeded our expectations. We are talking to our supplier about how soon we can obtain stock,” she said.
“The stock situation is absolutely not down to negative reviews."
The MyTablet Android tablet computer, made under the Argos own-brand name of Bush, costs under £100 but was not well received by reviewers, including the Guardian.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if they have sold out at that price point, if they were conservative on how many they thought they’d sell,” said Ben Wood, mobile analyst with research firm CCS Insight.
“For instance, at £119 the Tesco Hudl is flying off the shelves as soon as stock arrives. About the only way to get hold of one is online,” Wood said.
Argos was unsure about when the MyTablet stock levels would improve, saying “in terms of availability it is very, very low. We don’t yet know when new stock will be available".
Tablets are anticipated to be even more popular than last year
Global tablet shipments increased by 36.7%, with third quarter tablet shipments totalling 34.8m, according to data from research firm IDC. The fourth quarter is expected to see dramatically increased tablet sales as we head into the Christmas gifting period, when tablets are anticipated to be even more popular than last year.
In the UK, the tablet category has exploded in the last few years, with tablet sales dominating in the runup to Christmas.
According to data from research firm CCS Insight, 8.3m tablets were sold in the UK in 2012, with more than half of sales coming in the last quarter of the year alone. This year is anticipated to mirror that increased demand in Q4.
• In October, Tesco released its own Android tablet, the Hudl, which offers a lot of tablet computer for £119
