With the launch of the iPad 3, Apple will be set to take over 70% of the tablet market in 2012, according to IMS Research. IMS predicts that Apple will sell about 70 million iPads in 2012.

The increase in sales would further distance Apple from the rest of the Android tablet competition, with Android tablet makers being forced into a low-cost, low-profit realm of the market, to compete against each other, rather than even going near Apple.

Gary Xu, PC market Analyst at IMS Research states that “there is a large customer base loyal to Apple products that have been waiting for the latest tablet,” said Gerry Xu, PC Market Analyst at IMS Research. “Many owners of the iPad 1 are also expected to upgrade to the latest release. In addition to this consumer demand, growth is also forecast as a result of sales into enterprise and education.” Xu also contends that Amazon’s Kindle Fire poses no threat to the iPad 3, and predicts that Android tablets will lose roughly 9% of the market share in 2012, regardless Android global shipments being up 10% in 2011.

Apple’s strategy of dominating the user experience worked well when it came to the media player and smartphone markets, and looks to repeat itself in the tablet market. The iPad 3 is set to launch today at 1 PM EST.