The global tablet market is entering a difficult period
(Dan Tri) - According to a report from Omdia, the global tablet market has entered a period of decline. The number of tablets shipped in the second quarter decreased by 10% compared to the same period last year, to 36 million units.
This goes against the annual back-to-school shopping trend. This is also the first time in many years that tablet shipments decreased in the second quarter.
The tablet market declined due to scarce supply of components (Photo: CNet).
"The second quarter witnessed one of the sharpest declines in the tablet market in the past two years. Tablets have become an indispensable part of many households. In some cases, users even use this device to replace traditional computers for daily tasks," shared Himani Mukka, research expert at Omdia.
Mukka said it is difficult for manufacturers to increase tablet production in the context of the current supply of components becoming increasingly scarce. Accordingly, the optimal strategy is to focus resources on products in the high-end segment.
"For the remainder of 2026, the tablet market will continue to witness a decline due to limitations in the supply of popular tablets. In addition, consumers may delay purchases due to price escalation," experts at Omdia predict.
In the second quarter, Apple continued to maintain its leading position in the global tablet market with a 38% market share. However, the company only shipped 13.5 million devices, down 8% over the same period last year.
Notably, the majority of output comes from the standard iPad version. Meanwhile, models such as iPad mini and iPad Air only contribute a small part to the total number of devices shipped.
Apple continues to lead the global tablet market (Photo: PhoneArena).
Second place belongs to Samsung with nearly 6 million devices shipped, down 13% compared to the previous year. In a context where the supply of components is still scarce, the company will adjust its product structure, prioritizing models with higher profit margins to protect profits and profitability.
Lenovo was the only company to record a growth in output. The company shipped nearly 4 million devices, an increase of 27% over the same period in 2025 and equivalent to 11.1% of the global tablet market share.
Xiaomi ranked fourth, shipping 2.8 million tablets and recording a 7% decrease compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, Huawei shipped 2.7 million devices, representing a 16% year-on-year decrease.