Is the Tablet Market Facing Decline in Consumer Interest?
The global tablet market faced a notable decline in 2017, with sales decreasing due to shifting consumer preferences and market saturation. While Apple maintains leadership, brands like Samsung and Huawei are experiencing mixed results. The industry faces challenges from smartphone dominance and innovation gaps, yet promising opportunities exist in emerging regions. This article explores the trends and outlook for the tablet industry amid changing technology landscapes.
In early 2017, the global tablet market experienced a significant downturn. Only around 53 million units were sold worldwide in the first quarter, marking a 20% decrease from the previous year’s 66 million tablets, according to International Data Corporation (IDC). Shipment numbers dropped by 15.6% annually, reaching approximately 174.8 million devices. IDC VP Ryan Reith noted that tablets lacking dedicated keyboards are becoming less relevant to consumers globally.
Despite the declining trend, regions such as Africa, the Middle East, Central, and Eastern Europe present potential for profitable tablet markets. Analysts attribute declining sales to the rising popularity of smartphones, lack of innovative features in tablets, and longer upgrade cycles.
Apple remains the industry leader with strong sales of its iPad lineup, although even its market share is affected by the overall downturn. In Q4, Apple’s tablet shipments fell 19% year-over-year to 13 million units. The iPad Pro, equipped with a physical keyboard, also struggled to catch on among consumers. Samsung's tablet shipments declined by 11% to 8 million units in the same period. Amazon’s tablet sales reached 5.2 million, but the company focuses more on promoting its Prime subscription services than on device sales. Huawei saw a 44% growth, with 3.2 million tablets shipped in Q4, mainly in Asian, Middle Eastern, and European markets, driven by features like cellular connectivity. However, Huawei’s presence remains minimal in the U.S.
