Global tablet market rebounds with 8.5% growth as Apple’s iPad continues to dominate

The tablet market is bouncing back. According to fresh data from Canalys (now under Omdia), global tablet shipments rose by 8.5% year-over-year in Q1 2025, totaling 36.8 million units. The growth was broadly distributed across regions, fueled by consumer and education refresh cycles — and in some cases, tariff and subsidy-driven import spikes.

According to Canalys, China led the surge, with the Lunar New Year and government-backed retail subsidies significantly boosting consumer demand. In the US, fear of incoming tariffs sent tablet imports soaring in January before cratering in February after the exemptions were extended, creating a sharp whiplash in volumes.

Apple grows, Lenovo drops

Apple retained its throne, shipping 13.7 million iPads — a 14% increase from a year ago — maintaining its dominant position despite mounting pressure from local brands. Samsung followed in second place with 6.6 million tablets shipped, but posted a 5.2% year-over-year decline. The most notable shake-up came from Xiaomi, which overtook Lenovo for the first time by shipping 3.1 million tablets — a massive 56% jump — gaining two points in market share. Lenovo landed in fourth with 2.5 million units (up 19%), while Huawei rounded out the top five with 2.4 million units and a 6.5% share.