Stating the fairly obvious I would say, an analyst has stated that rival tablets to the Apple iPad would stand a better chance at challenging Apple’s iOS slate in Europe than rival tablets do in the US of A, something which I would have though wouldn’t really need saying particularly as the US is Apple’s home turf.

Anyway, according to a report by Reuters, IT research company Forrester has said that due to Apple having 238 Apple Stores n the good old US of A while only a very small presence in Europe amounting to just 52 shops, this offers a better chance for rival tablets that come from the likes of BlackBerry, Acer and Samsung.

Analyst and author of the Forrester report, Sarah Rotman Epps says, “There is this opportunity for iPad challengers, but the competition is very fragmented. Competing with Apple will require a different approach from what we’ve seen so far.”

However apparently rival prices can’t compete with Apple iPad prices although the report does say that “emerging challengers” from both Taiwan and China could soon step in with cheaper offerings.

The IT research company expects Apple to shift 80 percent of all “consumer tablets” within the United States along with 70 percent of Europe this year and estimates 2011 global sales of tablet devices to reach 48 million units, with half in the US, 5 percent in Latin America, 15 percent in Asia and 30 percent in Europe.

Epps went on to say, “A competitor to Apple would have to put together the right content, the right price and the right channel strategy. There isn’t anyone that has all three.”

The report also states “The newer generation of iPad challengers, such as the 10-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Acer Iconia Tab, are getting better reception, but they’re still at a disadvantage to Apple in terms of channel strategy.”

Yes well let’s face it we don’t really need anyone telling us that Apple currently dominates the tablet space especially in the United States as that’s where a vast number of the iOS faithful originate, but sooner or later rivals will eventually start to catch up with Apple, it’s only a matter of time, agree?