SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's tablet PC market grew 62.5 percent in the third quarter from the previous year, dominated by Apple Inc's iPad which snared more than two-thirds of sales, an industry report said on Wednesday.

For the quarter, 2.6 million tablet PCs were sold in China, up from 1.6 million a year ago, said technology research firm Analysys International.

Apple had 71.4 percent of the market, down a percentage point from the second quarter, ahead of Lenovo Group with 10.5 percent. Chinese firm Ereneben was third with 3.6 percent, edging out Samsung Electronics on 3.5 percent.

Tablet and smartphone sales in China have soared in recent years as prices drop and users look for cheaper gadgets to allow them access to the Internet. China has the world's largest Internet and mobile markets by number of users.

(Reporting by Melanie Lee; Editing by Richard Pullin)