According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, worldwide tablet shipments have fallen by 19.1% year-over-year in Q1 2023, with a total of 30.7 million units shipped. The report also shows that all top tablet vendors have witnessed a decline in the quarter, including Apple and Samsung, who made up almost 58% of the tablet market. This is a significant drop from the 3.3% YoY decline reported by IDC in the previous quarter.
Shipment Volume Comparison to Pre-Pandemic Levels
The shipment volume in Q1 2023 is comparable to the levels of 1Q19 and 1Q18, indicating a decrease in shipment volumes. Vendors are focusing on clearing out their inventory before the launch of newer models, which is causing a low sell-in shipment in the first half of 2023. The decline in shipments was smaller for Chromebooks, with a year-over-year decrease of 31%, as vendors advanced orders due to a projected rise in the Chrome OS licensing fee in the latter half of 2023.
Tablet Market Performance in 2023
The report highlights that the decline in tablet shipments is due to weakening demand as employees return to offices and consumers remain cautious of their expenditures. However, the signs of global economic recovery, including easing inflation, could improve shipments in the second half of 2023.
Increasing Vendors’ Interest in Tablet Market
Despite the decline in tablet shipments, there is still hope as more vendors are showing interest in the space, says Jitesh Ubrani, Research Manager at IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers. The recent debut of OnePlus and the upcoming Pixel Tablet from Google shows demand from the supply side. Google’s comeback is especially noteworthy as it could enhance Android’s tablet experience while also making the tablet a key part of the smart home.
Top Five Tablet Companies, Worldwide Shipments, Market Share in Q1 2023
Apple topped the chart with 10.8 million tablets shipped and a 35.2% market share, followed by Samsung with 7.1 million tablets shipped and a 23.1% market share. Huawei secured the third position with 2.0 million tablets shipped and a 6.6% market share, followed by Lenovo with 1.9 million tablets shipped and a 6.2% market share. Amazon.com placed fifth with 1.4 million tablets shipped and a 4.6% market share. The remaining companies shipped 7.5 million tablets and had a 24.4% market share.
Top Five Chromebook Companies, Worldwide Shipments, Market Share in Q1 2023
HP topped the chart with 1.1 million Chromebooks shipped and a 27.8% market share, followed by Lenovo with 0.8 million Chromebooks shipped and a 21.3% market share. Acer Group secured the third position with 0.8 million Chromebooks shipped and a 21.2% market share, followed by Dell with 0.5 million Chromebooks shipped and a 12.9% market share. Samsung placed fifth with 0.3 million Chromebooks shipped and a 7.8% market share. The remaining companies shipped 0.3 million Chromebooks and had a 9.0% market share.
Conclusion
While the decline in tablet shipments may be concerning for the industry, the increasing interest from vendors and the possibility of economic recovery offers hope for the market in the future. The shift to remote work and learning during the pandemic has highlighted the importance of large-screen tablets.
