Tablets (Global Market)

2023: Global tablet sales fall to lowest since 2011 to 128.5 million units

At the end of 2023, tablet shipments on a global scale amounted to approximately 128.5 million units. This is 20.5% less than in 2022, when shipments were estimated at 161.6 million units. Thus, the lowest figure since 2011 was recorded. Such a sharp drop is explained by macroeconomic difficulties and a high level of inflation - factors that provoked a decrease in purchasing power and an increase in the timing of updating existing gadgets. Negative trends are discussed in the IDC study, the results of which were published on February 5, 2024.

Without signs of any significant improvement in the economy, consumers are redistributing their budgets, and consumer electronics, in particular, tablets are leaving the list of priorities. The spending freeze also led to a delay in purchases for much of 2023, says Anuroopa Natara, senior analyst at IDC.

IDC

In 2023, Apple remains the leader in the global tablet market: the company sold 48.5 million devices, which corresponds to 37.8% of the industry. For comparison: a year earlier, these indicators were 60.5 million units and 37.4%. Year-on-year sales fell 19.8%. In second place in the IDC rating is Samsung with 26.2 million gadgets and a 20.4% share. Compared to 2022, when the company sold 30.4 million tablets (a share of 18.8%), the fall was 13.9%. Lenovo closes the top three with 9.3 million shipped devices and a share of 7.2% against 11.6 million and 7.1% a year earlier: sales decreased by 19.7% compared to 2022. Huawei is in fourth position: this company's sales in 2023 amounted to 8.7 million units against 9.1 million a year earlier, that is, decreased by 4%. At the same time, the market share on an annualized basis increased from 5.6% to 6.8%. Amazon is fifth with 5.5 million units and 4.2% (16 million units and 9.9% in 2022). This company showed the most significant drop in the top five - minus 65.9% year-on-year. All other players in 2023 jointly sold 30.3 million tablets, occupying 23.6% of the global market.

The analytical company Canalys also reports a serious reduction in tablet supplies. According to her estimates, in 2023, 135.3 million such gadgets were sold, which corresponds to a drop of 10.3% compared to 2022. The discrepancy with IDC indicators is explained by different counting methods, however, in general, Canalys speaks of the same negative trends. In addition, experts from both analytical companies agree that tablets will lag behind personal computers and smartphones in terms of integrating artificial intelligence technologies. However, the introduction of AI functions on devices of different types will be critical for developers seeking to provide a unified user experience within their ecosystems.

IDC

It is expected that in 2024 there will be some opportunities to restore the tablet segment - provided that the year is more economically stable. However, common challenges remain in the market, and technological advances in artificial intelligence are likely to focus more on PCs and smartphones, Nataraj notes.

Analysts also say that one of the drivers of the tablet industry will be the emergence of foldable gadgets with a flexible display. On the one hand, sales of these devices will be limited due to the high cost. On the other hand, such gadgets will allow you to demonstrate qualitatively new opportunities in terms of consumption of multimedia content, training, etc.^[1][2]

2022: Market slump 3.3% to 162.8 million tablet computers

In 2022, approximately 162.8 million tablet computers were delivered worldwide, which is 3.3% less than the previous year, when shipments amounted to 168.3 million units. Such data were published on February 3, 2023 by IDC.

Analysts note that the global tablet industry has shown a decline after two years of solid growth. At the same time, supplies remain at a higher level compared to the period before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gadgets, once used mainly for entertainment, have gained popularity in a number of commercial areas. At the same time, according to experts, in the foreseeable future, suppliers will have to focus on the commercial segment in order to stimulate sales: this is due to the economic downturn and saturation of the market.

We are currently in the process of changing market dynamics. While affordability and ease of use will still be among the industry's key sustainability drivers, consumers have also begun to take a closer look at devices with higher technical specifications. Thus, suppliers will have to focus on expanding their range of tablets to meet customer requests, "said Anuroopa Nataraj, senior analyst at IDC.

The first place in the ranking of the largest tablet suppliers continues to hold Apple from 61.8 million sold in iPad 2022: this corresponds to a share of 38%. Year-on-year sales of Apple tablets increased by 7%. In second place is with Samsung 30.3 million gadgets shipped and a share of 18.6%: the demand for devices of the South Korean manufacturer compared to 2021 decreased by 0.8%. Closes the top three with 16 Amazon million tablets and 9.8% of the market. For this company, sales decreased by 0.7%. The top five also includes Lenovo from 11.6 Huawei million and 9.1 million gadgets sold and 7.1% and 5.6% of the industry, respectively: deliveries on an annualized basis decreased by 34.6% and 7%. All other suppliers jointly shipped 34 million tablets during 2022, which is equivalent to 20.9% of the global market.

Data on tablet sales in 2022 was also published by Canalys. According to this company, the volume of the global market amounted to 150.8 million units, which is 4.7% less than in 2021 (158.3 million units). He tops the list of Apple's largest suppliers with 60.8 million devices sold and a share of about 40.3%. Next comes Samsung with 29 million tablets sold, which corresponds to 19.2% of the market. Amazon closes the top three - 13.6 million units and 9%. Then there are Lenovo and Huawei with 11.6 million and 6.3 million shipped gadgets, respectively: their shares are 7.7% and 4.2%. Other market participants jointly sold 29.5 million tablets in 2022, taking 19.5% of the industry.

Despite the decrease compared to 2021, the volume of tablet deliveries in 2022 was significantly higher than the pre-pandemic level. The need for digitalization of education remains high in emerging markets, which often prefer tablets to laptops. Demand for tablets remained stable despite worsening economic conditions. Significant discounts and promotions run by suppliers and retailers over the holiday season have helped sustain demand. On the commercial front, however, both businesses and government entities have taken a more cautious approach to IT spending, suspending some digital transformation plans that included purchasing tablets, said Himani Mukka, analyst at Canalys.[3][4]

2021: The global tablet market grew by 3.2%, to 168.8 million units

The global tablet computer market in 2021 amounted to 168.8 million units, an increase of 3.2% compared to 2020. This is stated in the study of the analytical company IDC, which was published on January 31, 2022. According to experts, tablet shipments were the highest since 2016.

Although 2021 was an excellent year for the tablet market, deliveries began to slow down, since in many regions the peak in demand has already passed. Nevertheless, in the near future, the volume of shipments will remain above the pre-pandemic level, given that online training, remote work and consumption of media content remain a priority for users, "comments Anuroopa Nataraj, senior analyst at IDC.

The top five tablet suppliers, as before, were led by Apple, and Samsung was in second place. In 2021, market leaders produced 57.8 and 30.9 million devices, which corresponds to market shares of 34.2% and 18.3%. Both manufacturers have increased tablet shipments in 2021, as well as many other vendors from the leading group.

The worst situation was with which Huawei sales of tablet computers fell by almost a third. The reason is American sanctions, due to which the Chinese company lost access to key technologies developed by vendors from. USA Under this pressure, Huawei was forced to sell the unit. Honor If you take into account the devices of this brand, then the supply of Huwaei tablets in 2021 compared to 2020 decreased even more - by 39.5%.

According to preliminary data from the analytical company Futuresource Consulting, a total of 193 million tablet computers were delivered worldwide in 2021, which is 3.8% more than a year earlier. This calculation includes both consumer models and devices used in companies, educational and public institutions.

According to experts, in 2021, the demand for tablets from individuals and corporate users remained high, which was facilitated by the emergence of new strains of the coronavirus COVID-19, due to which the trend towards a remote format of work and study remained.

Experts note that in a pandemic, many users who prefer or are forced to work and study from home needed a device with a large screen on which you can do part of the work. In addition, the tablets are suitable for distance learning for schoolchildren and students.

In addition, the coronavirus pandemic has contributed to the digital transformation of enterprises and the development of the Industry 4.0 concept there, which, in turn, has become a tangible driver of growth in the industrial tablet segment. Manufacturers are forced to develop and deploy various new and flexible approaches to product control and production quality. Mordor Intelligence predicts that in 2026, sales of industrial tablet computers will rise to $128.01 billion against $89.74 billion in 2020. The average annual growth rate of the market will be measured at 6.1%.

At the same time, not all analysts record growing sales of all types of tablets. So, according to preliminary data from the research agency Digitimes Research, in 2021 the volume of this market fell by about 7.5% due to a shortage of components. In the future, the situation with the components will improve, but in 2023-2024. the volume of the global tablet market will still fall by about 2.5% per year. In 2025, there may be a slight increase (by 1%), and in 2026 - a fall of almost 4%.^[5]

2020: Global Tablet Market Growth by 13.6%, to 164.1 Million Units - IDC

The global tablet market in 2020 returned to growth, which was facilitated by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, due to which people began to work, study and have fun at home more often. This is evidenced by data from IDC analysts.

They estimated that in 2020, manufacturers put a total of 164.1 million tablet computers on the global market, which is 13.6% more than a year earlier.

The research company Digitimes Research confirms the growth of the tablet market at the end of 2020, but estimated the dynamics at + 2% with a volume of shipments of 160 million devices.

The unprecedented demand [for tablets - approx. TAdviser] in the consumer and educational segments against the background of the transition to remote operation and online training undoubtedly contributed to the revival of sales of these devices. However, we do not expect the upward dynamics in this category to be a long-term trend, given the continued high competition from laptops and smartphones, said IDC analyst Anuroopa Nataraj.

Global Tablet Market Leader TOP-5: Global Shipments, Market Share, Dynamics (IDC Data)

Apple has remained the leader in the global tablet market since its launch. In 2020, 53.2 million iPads were released, which corresponds to 32.5% of the total supply of tablet PCs. Shipments of Apple gadgets in 2020 rose by 19.5%, which was facilitated by the release of new models - the iPad with a 10.2-inch display and the iPad Air with a 10.9-inch screen. Largely thanks to these devices, tablet sales have grown significantly in the last months of 2020. In addition, the iPad was in high demand in the educational sector amid the transition of many educational institutions to "remote."

Samsung at the end of 2020 retained second place in the list of the world's largest tablet manufacturers, releasing 31.3 million devices or 19.1% of the total in the world. Equipment shipments from the South Korean giant rose 44.4% and showed the fastest growth rates after Lenovo products, whose sales jumped 66.4%.

As noted in the study, Samsung it remains the largest manufacturer of tablets based on the OS Android thanks to such successful products as A Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. Meanwhile, the company's serious efforts to make Android more productive and convenient to use on hybrid devices (tablets that turn into laptops thanks to a removable or flip keyboard) have helped the brand maintain an advantage over competitors offering Android devices.

How did the shares of tablets, laptops and hybrid devices change between Q4 2019 and Q4 2020, IDC

Huawei retained its third position in the group of market leaders, despite US sanctions that severely restrict the Chinese company's business. However, tablets Huawei sell well in, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA helping the manufacturer be among the best in the global standings. In 2020, the company delivered 16 million tablets, which is 8.5% more than a year ago. Huawei's market share was 9.8%.

Lenovo, as noted above, has shown the strongest dynamics in the five largest tablet manufacturers. Most of the products of the Chinese company are traditional tablets, but the share of hybrid technology is increasing, which was facilitated by the release of the Chromebook Duet. According to experts, Western Europe and the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan) remain the largest market for Lenovo tablets.

Amazon, which at the end of 2020 closed the top five leaders in the tablet market, sells most of its products in the United States. During the pandemic, Amazon models for children were in particular demand, the IDC report said.^[6]

2016

Digitimes: Volume drop of 6.6%

In 2016, 15.74 million tablets were delivered worldwide, which is 6.6% lower than in 2015. Apple was the largest vendor, delivering 42.55 million iPads, according to Taiwanese consulting firm TrendForce.

The company expects that in 2017 global tablet deliveries will decrease by another 6.1% and amount to 14.78 million units.

IDC: Market drop over 2 years

In early February 2017, the analytical company IDC announced that the global tablet computer market has been in decline for more than two years. At the leaders of Apple and Samsung Electronics, deliveries are greatly reduced.

IDC counted 174.8 million tablets released in 2016 on a global scale, which is 15.6% less than a year ago. In October-December, when shipments decreased by more than 20%, the tablet market showed its ninth consecutive quarterly decline.

The largest tablet manufacturers, IDC data for 2016-2015.

Researchers attribute the fall in the market to weak sales of traditional models that do not have removable or rotating keyboards. Although in some regions, such as the Middle East, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, there remain prospects for an increase in demand for such electronics, simple inexpensive tablets lose relevance and do not bring large revenues to manufacturers.

More and more vendors are rushing to hybrid electronics capable of performing the functions of laptops and tablets. However, this segment is slowing growth due to the fact that tablets with a removable keyboard and convertible computers are closer in terms of price-performance ratio, said IDC senior analyst Jitesh Ubrani.

Nevertheless, this situation will be temporary, since only two platforms out of the three main ones have a significant presence in the hybrid equipment market, and ecosystems require further updates and support from developers, the expert added.

Apple remained the largest supplier of tablets in 2016, but shipments iPad decreased by more than 14% to 42.6 million units. The company also has hybrid devices (the iPad Pro can be equipped with a removable keyboard), but they account for only 10% of tablet sales in the Apple range.

In 2016, Samsung, which remained in second place in the list of leaders in the tablet market, reduced the production of gadgets by 20.5%, and the following Amazon doubled deliveries thanks to the offer of ultra-budget models.^[7]

IDC predicts 9% decline in sales

According to the forecast of June 2016, in 2016-2017. the global tablet market will continue to decline in quantitative terms. According to IDC, in 2016 tablet sales to distribution channels (deliveries to the global market) will decrease by 9.6% compared to 2015. In 2015, the decrease was 10.1%.^[8].

2015

IDC: Record 10% drop

In early February 2016, IDC analysts published the results of a study of the global tablet computer market. Its volume, as experts found out, decreased by more than 10%.

According to IDC estimates, in 2015, global tablet shipments amounted to 206.8 million units against 230.1 million a year earlier. At the same time, the segment of hybrid devices (with plug-in keyboards) has been growing at double-digit rates since the end of 2014, and in 2015 its volume reached a record 8.1 million units. Excluding these devices, the global tablet market fell 21.1%, which is the largest decline in its history.

Tablet market has experienced the strongest drop in history

The quarter was unusual from the point of view that there were new hybrid tablets running platforms from three main manufacturers on the market, says IDC analyst Jitesh Ubrani. - Despite not the most enthusiastic reviews, the iPad Pro was the clear winner this season, ahead of all hybrids in sales, including models from Microsoft and other PC vendors.

IDC also draws attention to the fact that tablet prices have not yet hit rock bottom, which is a considerable credit to Amazon. Its model for $50 entered the top three most popular tablets in the fourth quarter of 2015, and the manufacturer itself is in the Top 3 largest.

According to the results for the entire 2015, the leader of Apple iPad the global tablet market remained, but supplies decreased by almost 22%, and the market share of the California giant - to 24% from 27.6% in 2014.

| 1. Apple

| 49,6

| 24,0%

| 63,4

| 27,6%

| -21,8%

 |2.Samsung

| 33,4

| 16,2%

| 39,8

| 17,3%

| -16,1%

| 3. Lenovo

| 11,2

| 5,4%

| 11,2

| 4,9%

| 0,4%

| 4. ASUS

| 7,1

| 3,4%

| 11,8

| 5,1%

| -39,9%

| 5. Huawei

| 6,5

| 3,1%

| 3,0

| 1,3%

| 116,6%

The decline - by 18.1% - was also experienced by Samsung, which is in second place. Analysts note that the South Korean giant has a wide range of tablets, consisting of devices of various price categories and sizes. Such a product portfolio may contribute to Samsung's transition to hybrid electronics in 2016, experts say.^[9]

Digitimes Research: tablet shipments will fall 11.8%

Digitimes Research Special Report reports that shares of both iOS devices and Android gadgets will be seriously affected in 2015. In 2015, global shipments of tablets may fall by 11.8% (compared to the results of 2014), reaching 244 million units of equipment, analysts at Digitimes Research say. For such a forecast, there are two significant reasons - this is a significant saturation of the tablet market, both entry-level and premium, as well as the rapid growth in the popularity of large smartphones and inexpensive laptops, which are beginning to win the competition.

The share of 7-inch tablets will fall from 51.3% in 2014 to 44.3% in 2015. The decline will hit companies that produce the so-called noname tablets especially hard (taken into account in the Digitimes Research study). Despite this, the segment of tablets with a diagonal of 10 inches is expected to grow by 20% during the year. This is largely due to the fact that vendors are looking for new opportunities for themselves, offering new options for using tablets in corporate and industrial environments.

Digitimes Research Special Report reports that shares of both iOS devices and Android gadgets will be seriously affected in 2015. Despite the fact that Apple iPads with a diagonal of 12.85 inches are likely to increase the share of iOS tablets in the market, the fall in sales of "regular" iPads and iPad mini will be more significant. The forecast for iOS tablets for 2015 was "only" 49.9 million devices.

At the same time, the share of devices based on in OS Windows 2015 will increase by 50%, thanks to the growing shipments of both tablets and 2-in-1 hybrid devices based on Intel Core M processors. In addition, a good year awaits the company, the Intel growth in sales of tablets based on processors of which will be 50%. In 2015, 40 million tablets based on Intel chips will be delivered to the global market.

2014

Gartner: Tablet sales growth slows

Gartner said in the fall of 2014 that tablet sales were slowing in 2014, as new buyers began to prefer alternative devices, and those who already have tablets are trying to extend their lifetime. According to Gartner, in 2014 global tablet sales will amount to 229 million units, which is 11% more than in 2013. This will correspond to 9.5% of the total global market for computer devices (PCs, tablets, ultra-mobile devices and mobile phones) in 2014. Recall that in 2013, tablet shipments increased by 55%.

Dell International Tablet Survey 2014

Dell announced in the fall of 2014 a survey of Chief information officers from ten countries around the world regarding the use of tablets in the corporate environment (International Tablet Survey 2014). The survey showed that tablets help increase employee mobility and productivity. In addition, the employees themselves speak positively about the use of these devices in their work.

The International Tablet Survey 2014 was conducted according to the results of the Harris Poll online survey of the Nielsen analytical company commissioned by Dell this summer. The study shows how tablets are used in the corporate environment: what approaches are taken by IT managers regarding the use of tablets by employees in work, whether companies plan to purchase them, and how tablets affect efficiency, advantages and difficulties. Tablets are compared to other types of devices, it turns out how tablets meet the expectations of IT managers. Dell customers, business leaders, and Chief information officer around the world can use the research to plan their IT strategy now and in the future.

Key Findings from the Dell International Tablet Survey 2014

• Tablets are a standard enterprise tool. Nine out of ten IT managers surveyed in all countries (83% of respondents), with the exception of Japan, said that tablets are included in the standard list of work tools or are under consideration as such; they also allow their employees to use personal tablets for work. The majority of surveyed Chief information officers - in China - 82%, UAE/Saudi Arabia - 74%, USA - 73%, Brazil - 73%, Great Britain - 68%, France - 61%, India - 59% and Russia - 51% - said that tablets are included in the standard list of working IT tools. More than half of the respondents - in Russia - 58%, India - 57%, China - 52% and in the USA - 51% - allow employees to use tablets that they purchased with their own money. At the same time, at least half of the surveyed IT managers - in China 59%, the United States - 53% and India - 50% - said they allow their employees to use personal tablets that they purchased with the financial support of the employer.

• Employees speak in favor of tablets. At least 90% of IT managers in all countries, with the exception of India (85%), said that their employees spoke in favor of tablets even before the company began introducing them into the corporate network. In the USA (58% of respondents), Great Britain (58%), India (56% 1), Japan (56% 1), Brazil (68% 1), UAE/Saudi Arabia (63%) and South Africa (22 out of 32 IT managers polled 1), employees of companies repeatedly spoke out in favor of tablets. Respondents from those companies where tablets are not offered as work tools or are still being considered (in all countries) reported that their employees spoke in favor of this new type of device.

• The most commonly used operating system is Android. Windows and iOS are also popular. Windows, iOS and Android are common in all countries, but it was Android that was most often named by respondents in India (91%), Brazil (87%), Russia (87%), South Africa (26 out of 32 surveyed IT managers 1), China (79%), UAE/Saudi Arabia (79%), France (69%) and the UK (69%). Meanwhile, the Windows® operating system ranked first in popularity in the United States (72% of respondents mentioned it), and iOS - in Japan (69% of respondents).

• Tablets help improve productivity. In most countries, most IT executives reported that tablet adoption has increased employee productivity because the tablet is easier to perform work tasks during travel, easier to serve customers, and easier to access data outside the office and in the field. Tablets also help you easily enter data in real time, which allows you not to do the same job twice. Productivity increased by at least 25% in India (58% of 1 respondents reported this) and Brazil (61% 1) - and by 20% and higher in the United States (60% of respondents reported this), Great Britain (53% 1). Productivity growth of 15 percent or more was noted by the majority of respondents in China (62%), and in France 73% of 1 respondents reported productivity growth of at least 10% when employees use tablets at work.

• Tablets meet expectations in full. In nine out of ten countries, most IT executives reported that tablets met their company's expectations. This was the answer of 61% of respondents in the USA, 59% in the UK, 60% 1 in India, 75% in Japan, 77% in China, 66% in Brazil, 77% in France, 81% in Russia and 20 out of 32 surveyed leaders from South Africa. At the same time, a significant part of respondents from most of these countries said that tablets even exceeded their expectations. It is noteworthy that in the UAE/Saudi Arabia, almost every second participant in the survey (46% 1) admitted that the tablets exceeded expectations, and 26% 1 - that they did not meet expectations.

• IT executives plan to roll out more tablets. 65% of respondents in the USA, 49% in the UK, 69% 1 in India, 52% in Japan, 76% in China, 67% in Brazil, 49% in France, 65% 1 in Russia and 25 out of 32 participants surveyed in South Africa said that their companies practicing the use of tablets employees plan to equip more employees with tablets over time. In the UAE/Saudi Arabia, more than half of IT executives plan to use as many tablets as they have now (58% 1), and 32% 1 said that the number of tablets is planned to increase.

• Security is the main reason that prevents employees from implementing and using tablets. Most IT executives in companies that do not currently offer tablets to their employees as work tools and do not plan to implement them, cited data security issues, including possible device loss and theft, as the cause. These reasons were cited by 54% of 1 respondents in the United States, 67% 1 in India, 51% 1 in Japan, 15 out of 28 participants surveyed in China and 53% 1 in France. These reasons were also noted by 21 out of 48 respondents in the UK and 42% of 1 respondents in Russia. In each of the countries listed, data security was mentioned as the main reason. In Brazil (23 out of 63 respondents1) and UAE/Saudi Arabia (9 out of 20 respondents1), the main reason was the lack of sufficient built-in memory in the tablets, and in South Africa (22 out of 45 respondents1) the risk of losing or damaging the device. The majority of respondents in nine out of ten countries (with the exception of the UAE/Saudi Arabia) considered the main problem to be the risk of losing a tablet leading to a data breach. In addition, in the USA, India, Japan, China and South Africa, the majority of respondents cited violations of corporate policies and regulatory requirements when using tablets as risks.

Q1 2013: 142% sales growth

According to IDC, in the first quarter of 2013, tablet sales in the world increased by 142.4% compared to the same period last year. 49.2 million tablets were sold in the quarter - more than in the entire first half of last year, and analysts do not see signs of a slowdown in growth yet.^[10]

Both Apple and Samsung showed results that exceeded analysts' expectations. Apple tablets sold 19.5 million, while analysts said 18.7 million. Usually in the first quarter, after the active New Year season, sales of Apple products fall sharply, and buyers are waiting for the release of new models in March, but this year the difference was less due to, according to analysts, the popularity of the iPad mini, the growth of corporate purchases and the postponement of the release of the new iPad model to the fourth quarter of the previous year.

Samsung managed to raise sales by 282.6%, but it is still far behind Apple in the number of tablets sold - 8.8 million units. Demand for Samsung small tablets is gradually growing, analysts say.

The demand for Nexus 7 tablets helped ASUS to reach third place among tablet manufacturers, but analysts believe it will be difficult for it to maintain its position. Google The I/O conference will take place soon, and many manufacturers will release new tablet models based on. Android

Top five tablet makers, Q1 2013

Source: IDC Worldwide Tablet Tracker, May 2013

Key Tablet Operating Systems, Q1 2013

Source: IDC Worldwide Tablet Tracker, May 2013

Notes