Preliminary IDC Data Reveals Strong Recovery and Growing Optimism in the Tablet Market

Worldwide tablet shipments grew 20.4% in the third quarter of 2024 (3Q24), totaling 39.6 million units, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. The dismal 2023 market makes for easy year-over-year comparisons, but optimism is growing on the supply side of the industry which is a win overall. A handful of device refreshes occurred during the recent quarters, and active channel filings were undertaken in preparation for major promotional events and the holiday season. Not surprising to anyone, AI is becoming increasingly integrated into the tablet market, but outside of the Surface led Windows detachable Co-Pilot+ marketing, the remainder is early days at best. Regardless, these innovations bring a wave of much needed optimism in the tablet market, piquing consumer interest, and potentially higher ASPs.

3Q24 Company Highlights

• Apple shipped 12.6 million units, with a modest growth of 1.4% year over year in the quarter. Back to school season helped boost sales for the newly launched iPad Air model. The new iPad Pro performed below expectations as their prices are too steep and unattractive in emerging markets.
• Samsung had a great 2Q24 with 7.1 million shipments and year-over-year growth of 18.3%. They launched more premium tablets during the quarter with the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S10+ with AI features. In Q3, their low-end Galaxy A9 models drove their sales across most regions. Commercial deployments also played a key role in driving shipments for Samsung.
• Amazon.com was back in the Top 5 and secured the third position in 3Q24 with a shipment of 4.6 million units and year-over-year growth of 111.3%. Their market share also increased by 6 percentage points. The company refreshed its Fire HD 8 model with some new AI tools by the end of the quarter. 3Q24 sales came mainly from their Prime Day deals. The vendor has had two Prime Days this year and offered discounts on most of their models.
• Huawei remained in the fourth position this quarter and recorded a solid growth of 44.1% year-over-year growth and shipments of 3.2 million units. Huawei launched several new products in both consumer and commercial markets which helped boost shipment growth in Q3. Among these new models, the MatePad SE 11 has made a notable contribution to the growth due to its competitive price.
• Lenovo moved down to the fifth position this quarter. Still, the company’s sales grew by 14.7% year over year with 3 million shipment units. Due to a lower base comparable in 2023Q3, most regions recorded growth in the quarter. There was also significant improvement in their commercial market performance. The biggest growth came from PRC and Western Europe.

"There are several appealing opportunities for vendors to increase their presence in the tablet market – collaboration with educational institutions, entertainment and gaming, cross device connectivity, integrations in healthcare and many more. Embracing AI-powered features to enhance user experience will facilitate growth across these areas. Recent innovations in AI have begun to attract consumers willing to pay a premium price," said Anuroopa Nataraj, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers. "As AI features and applications grow, more consumers will prioritize these advanced capabilities in their next purchase."

Table Notes:

• Data is preliminary and subject to change.
• Shipments include shipments to distribution channels or end users. OEM sales are counted under the company/brand under which they are sold.
• The "Company" represents the current parent company (or holding company) for all brands owned and operated as subsidiary.

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International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,300 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.

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Worldwide tablet shipments grew 20.4% in the third quarter of 2024 (3Q24), totaling 39.6 million units, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker.