Worldwide tablet shipments saw a 22.1% year-over-year increase in the second quarter of 2024 (2Q24), reaching 34.4 million units, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker.
Favorable Figures vs. 2Q19
This growth follows a 0.5% YoY rise in Q1 2024 and results from product refreshes by top vendors, a replacement cycle, and inventory replenishment. However, these volumes are comparable only to pre-pandemic levels, not the high sales during the pandemic.
The 2Q24 figures are favorable compared to 2Q19, which had 32.5 million units shipped, boosted by Apple’s product refresh and the popularity of Samsung and HUAWEI’s detachable tablets.
2Q24 Company Highlights
Apple shipped 12.3 million units, marking an 18.2% year-over-year growth. The launch of the 11″ and 13″ iPad Air and iPad Pro models contributed to this growth. iPad sales increased globally, except in China, where competition from HUAWEI and Xiaomi affected sales.
Samsung ranked second with 6.9 million units shipped, achieving an 18.6% year-over-year growth. This growth occurred despite the absence of major product launches, driven by several commercial deployments and favorable comparisons to 2Q23.
Lenovo secured the third position with 2.5 million units shipped, showing a 16.7% year-over-year growth. Lenovo’s detachable tablets saw a significant annual growth of 39.7%, compared to an 11.7% growth in slate tablets.
HUAWEI held the fourth position with 2.3 million units shipped, a 40.3% year-over-year growth. The new MatePad 11.5S tablet and June online promotions in China significantly boosted sales.
Xiaomi finished fifth with shipments of 2 million units, representing a 94.7% year-over-year growth. Xiaomi saw notable gains in Europe, including Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other countries, beyond its strong presence in China and Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan).
Market Outlook
The 2Q24 results indicate the market is moving beyond the pandemic. IDC expects the refresh cycle and growth in emerging markets to continue supporting the recovery in the near term.
As new market entrants focus on global expansion, long-term leaders are enhancing technology, such as OLED displays for iPad Pros, catering to premium device demand, and leveraging emerging technologies like AI.
Speaking about the market dynamics, Anuroopa Nataraj, Senior Research Analyst with IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers, stated,
Long-term market gains hinge on vendors’ capacity to create devices that carve out a unique niche for tablets, emphasizing innovation and differentiation.