Android hits 70M tablet activations, now accounts for 1 in every 2 tablets sold worldwide

Watch out iPad, Android tablets could catch up faster than you think.

Google just announced at a press event this morning that Android tablets have reached 70 million activations. Additionally, Android and Chrome head Sundar Pichai noted a remarkable figure: One in every two tablets sold worldwide are based on Android.

At the event today, which was originally pitched as a breakfast with Pichai, Google also officially announced the new Nexus 7 tablet. Pichai also pointed out that tablet sales should surpass personal computer sales by the end of the year (based on data from IDC, Google, and Gartner.) Not surprisingly, he says tablets have become a much bigger priority for the Android team.

Below, check out a chart detailing Android tablet activations. It’s worth paying attention to the noticeable bump that begins in the middle of 2012, which coincides with the launch of the original Nexus 7. In comparison, Apple has sold more than 170 million iPads since its debut in 2010.