Global tablet market rebounds for third straight quarter, iPad keeps Apple on top

Apple iPad

For the third consecutive quarter, the global tablet market saw a positive shift. According to a report by IDC,  in Q3 2024, total  tablet shipments reached nearly 40 million units, a 20.4% increase year-over-year. Apple continues to lead the charge as Amazon emerged as a surprising force in the tablet market.

“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,” said Anuroopa Nataraj, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.

Few takers for premium tablets

According to the report, Apple retained the top spot with 12.6 million units shipped, though growth was modest at 1.4%. The back-to-school season helped the newly launched iPad Air, but the premium iPad Pro underperformed due to high prices, claims IDC.

Samsung followed closely with 7.1 million units, fueled by strong sales of their low-end Galaxy Tab A9 series and commercial deployments. Notably, their high-end Galaxy Tab S10 line with advanced AI features didn't make the same impact, notes the report.

Amazon surprised everyone by securing the third position with a whopping 111.3% year-over-year growth and 4.6 million units shipped. This impressive rise is attributed to their aggressive Prime Day sales and the refresh of its Fire HD 8 tablet with new AI features.

Huawei held onto fourth place, showcasing a solid 44.1% growth with 3.2 million units shipped. The Chinese tech giant’s success stemmed from a range of new products for both consumers and businesses, with the competitively priced MatePad SE 11 being a major contributor.

Lenovo rounded out the top five with 3 million units shipped, a 14.7% year-over-year increase.

AI features could have a further impact on the tablet market, according to Nataraj. “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 Nataraj. "As AI features and applications grow, more consumers will prioritize these advanced capabilities in their next purchase,” she added.