Apple is leading the tablet shipment market worldwide as the latter rises from a two-year decline with 0.5% year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2024.
This data, revealed by IDC’s recent Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, shows that the tablet shipment market is taking a good turn following a prolonged period of stagnation.
After the slowdown, the global tablet market experienced a marginal resurgence in the first quarter of 2024, with shipments totaling 30.8 million units, a fair increase from the previous year.
This rebound, as noted by IDC analysts, is attributed to the commencement of a refresh cycle within the industry, driven by consumer demand for productivity-oriented devices amidst ongoing macroeconomic challenges.
Despite facing economic struggles and a lack of new product launches, Apple maintained its leading position in the tablet market, shipping 9.9 million units in Q1 2024.
While this represents an 8.5% decline year-over-year, Apple remains ready for growth with anticipated new product releases in the second quarter of 2024.
Samsung, securing the second position, shipped 6.7 million units in 1Q24, a decline of 5.8% compared to the previous year. The company is focusing on enhancing user experience through AI integration and premium product offerings to capitalize on the upcoming replacement cycle.
Huawei retained its third-place position, exhibiting commendable year-over-year growth of 43.6%, shipping 2.9 million units in Q1 2024. Leveraging the resurgence of its smartphone business, Huawei expanded its market share and continues to strengthen its presence in the tablet market.
Lenovo and Xiaomi secured the fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Lenovo achieved a year-over-year growth of 13.2%, driven by the success of its detachable portfolio, while Xiaomi experienced growth of 92.6%, primarily driven by strong performance in its largest market, China.
Anuroopa Nataraj, senior research analyst at IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers, pointed to the signs of recovery observed in the tablet market during the first quarter of 2024.
Nataraj emphasized that sustained growth will hinge on upcoming refresh cycles and increased adoption of tablets in commercial segments, particularly in education and the gig economy.
Despite the positive growth, there are still challenges within the tablet market, including intensifying competition from PCs and smartphones.
However, Nataraj highlighted potential growth opportunities driven by advancements in AI capabilities, mirroring trends observed across other device categories.
The tablet market’s growth in the first quarter of 2024 is a fair turnaround following a protracted period of decline. The tech companies’ resilience even with the challenging economic conditions, coupled with innovative strategies from leading competitors, reiterates the dynamism of the tablet industry.
Individuals are moving towards premium tablets and emerging technologies like AI will help boost this market, presenting both challenges and opportunities for industry players.
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