Gone are the days when tablets were just giant smartphones. In fact, the best Android tablets on the market can now potentially replace your laptop. Apple and Samsung have dominated the tablet market for many years and their reign is expected to continue. But things are currently not very favorable for these devices. Sales of Samsung tablets plummet and Apple’s even more so!
Sales of Samsung tablets decrease and Apple’s even more!
As reported by IDC, Apple maintained its position as the largest tablet seller in the first quarter of 2024. It is followed by Samsung, Huawei and Lenovo (via SamMobile). This quarter, 30.8 million tablet units were shipped to the market, registering annual growth of 0.5% after a two-year decline.
While tablet shipments have seen a modest increase, the sales numbers reveal a shift in market dynamics for Apple and Samsung. Samsung, for example, sold 6.7 million units in the first quarter of 2024. This achieved a market share of 21.7%. This is a slight decline from sales of 7.1 million units. Also in relation to the 23.2% market share it held in the same quarter of 2023.
Samsung and Apple sell less but continue to dominate the market
Samsung’s earnings report for the first quarter of 2024 showed that the brand earned $51 billion, much of which is due to impressive sales of the Galaxy S24. Regarding the tablet segment, Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab A9, Galaxy Tab A9+, Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ in the last quarter of 2023 and the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) in the first quarter of 2024. The Galaxy Tab S10 tablet is also expected to be released in early 2025.
Apple’s tablet sales numbers are also falling sharply. According to the IDC report, Apple shipped 9.9 million tablets to the market in the first quarter of 2024, which is an 8.1 percent drop from the 10.8 million units shipped in the first quarter 2023. Apple’s market share also stands at 32 percent, more than a three percent decline from 35.2 percent in the first quarter of 2023.
While Apple and Samsung are experiencing a decline in tablet sales, other brands are making significant progress. Huawei, for example, has seen a steady increase in its market share. It shipped 2.9 million units in the first quarter of 2024, compared to 2 million units in the same quarter of 2023. Lenovo and Xiaomi also saw an increase in their tablet sales, which indicates their dedication to achieving more market share.
