In the third quarter of 2023 (Q3 2023), worldwide tablet shipments witnessed a 14.2% year-over-year decline, with 33.2 million units shipped.
This followed a substantial 29.9% YoY decrease in Q2 2023. Despite the challenging demand, the market did experience an 18% uptick from the previous quarter due to seasonal factors.
Apple Leads Tablet Market, Despite Decline
Apple maintained its lead in the tablet market, shipping 12.5 million units. However, this marked a 15.1% year-over-year decline. Apple didn’t introduce new models in Q3, which usually boosts sales in the second half of the year. Nevertheless, Apple retained its market share.
Market Leaders and Their Performance
- Samsung ranked second with 6 million units shipped.
- Lenovo and HUAWEI secured the third and fourth positions with 2.6 million and 2.3 million units, respectively.
- Amazon made a comeback to the top 5 by gearing up for the holiday season and launching a new value-priced premium device, the Fire Max 11.
Chromebooks Continues to Decline in Q3
On the flip side, Chromebook shipments also saw a decrease of 20.8% in 3Q23. The Chromebook market might be on the upswing, thanks to a forthcoming refresh in the education sector and remaining budgets in government spending.
Tablets’ Ongoing Challenge
Tablets have always struggled to find their place between PCs and smartphones, which continues to impact the market negatively, according to Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.
Successful tablet manufacturers have realized that tablets work best when complementing PCs and smartphones. Expect more tablet makers to follow this path by offering a more integrated software and services experience, although it may take time to materialize.
Commenting on the report, Anuroopa Nataraj, Senior Research Analyst with IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers, said:
The first three quarters of 2023 have witnessed substantial contractions in the tablet market, and the approaching holiday season is unlikely to bring significant changes. With macroeconomic conditions showing little improvement, it is anticipated that project and purchase delays will extend into 2024.
While a potential refresh in the education sector and increased use cases across different industries may provide some long-term stability for the tablet market, the near future does not hold much promise for a substantial increase in tablet sales.