TechInsights: Global tablet shipments in Q1 2023 will be 33.5 million units, down 18% year-on-year

The economic slowdown and stagnant product demand after the COVID-19 pandemic have brought the tablet market down to pre-pandemic levels; tablet shipments in Q1 2023 were 33.5 million units, down 18% year-on-year. Apple and Samsung lead in market share but have not been immune to the impact of sluggish global demand. Smaller vendors in China have gained some share as economic activity has picked up after the easing of COVID restrictions. Inventories in the mobile computing market rose during the quarter, suppressing shipments of new devices.

Tablet market declines for seventh consecutive quarter, falling to pre-pandemic levels
* All data are rounded ( Source : TechInsights, Inc.)

Mobile computing demand is low in a difficult economic environment and education demand is also at seasonally low levels, especially as COVID restrictions are lifted almost everywhere. Although Apple beat the overall market throughout 2022 , iPad shipments still fell 20% year-on-year in Q1 2023 .

Android tablet shipments fell 19% to 16.7 million units, close to the market average. This gave it a market share of 49.8% . In terms of vendors, performance was mixed. Samsung led the Android tablet market in Q1 2023 with an above-average performance, while smaller Chinese vendors such as Xiaomi, Honor, Realme and OPPO continued to take Android market share from the shrinking Huawei. Huawei's glory days are over, but it still performed steadily and exceeded the market average. Amazon performed close to the market average, while Lenovo's shipments fell sharply compared to last year.

• Apple iPad shipments (wholesale) fell 20% year-on-year to 12.7 million units, with a market share of 38%
• Samsung leads the Android market, with shipments down 15% year-on-year to 7 million units, and a market share of 21% , exceeding the global market average.
• Amazon performed close to the market average, with shipments down 21% year-over-year to 2.9 million units and market share down to 9%.
• Lenovo's tablet shipments fell 37% year-on-year to 1.9 million units, and its market share fell to 6%.
• Huawei ranked in the top five with 1.2 million tablet shipments, down only 14% and a market share of 4%.