As per the latest report by IDC, the worldwide tablet market witnessed a substantial decline of 17.4% year-over-year (YoY) in the fourth quarter of 2023. Total shipment dropped to 36.8 million units in Q4, 2023. This marks the most significant fourth-quarter drop since 2016, indicating a challenging period for the tablet industry.
For the entire year of 2023, global tablet shipments amounted to 128.5 million units, reflecting a staggering 20.5% decrease compared to the previous year. This decline represents the lowest annual volume since 2011, raising concerns about the future of the tablet market.
It is worth noting that Apple managed to maintain its position as the leading tablet manufacturer despite the overall market downturn. Although Apple experienced a decline in shipments for both the fourth quarter (-29.3%) and the full year (-19.8%), Apple’s market share remained relatively stable at over 37%.
Samsung secured the second position by shipping 7.3 million units, holding a 19.8% market share. The company saw a decline of 6.6% in shipments. Huawei and Lenovo held third and fourth positions with 7.6% and 7.1% market share respectively. Huawei shipped 2.8 million units and Lenovo shipped 2.6 million units during Q4 2023.
Xiaomi experienced the strongest growth among the top vendors, with shipments increasing by 35.0% to reach 1.6 million units, claiming a 4.3% market share.
The tablet market will need to adapt to changing consumer preferences to regain its footing in the coming years. Now that large display phones are popular and laptops have become even more portable, not many people are taking an interest in tablets. Most people who have an interest in design and doodling are buying tablets. Industry experts will closely monitor developments in 2024 to assess the trajectory of the tablet market amid evolving global dynamics.
