The main problem with Android tablets taking on Apple is the software, research giant Gartner announced Thursday. Android tablet sales were cut by 28 percent over the previous quarter to 17.3 percent of the market versus 73.4 percent for the iPad.

Gartner said 11 million Android tablets should ship in calendar 2011 versus 47 million iPads. The problem: “extremely weak adoption due to high prices, user interface issues, and limited app offerings.” The researcher would have cut its Android forecast even more, save “some success in low-cost Asian markets and strong expectations for Amazon’s forthcoming tablet.”

By comparison, the research firm lauds compliments on Apple’s ability to produce a “superior and unified experience” coupled with delivering a “very competitive price and no compromise in experience among different models.”

Gartner’s findings arrive following HP’s decision to drop the TouchPad and RIM’s weak sales of the PlayBook.