Omdia: Global Tablet Shipments Grew 10% in 2025 as Market Nears Slowdown

Core Insights - The global tablet market experienced a recovery in 2025, with shipments increasing by 9.8% year on year to 162 million units, marking the highest annual shipment volume since the pandemic-driven demand boom of 2020 [1][1] - Central & Eastern Europe was the fastest-growing region, followed by Asia Pacific, while North America recorded a decline despite a healthy holiday season supported by discounts [1][1] - The tablet market is expected to face increasing pressure in 2026, with vendors needing to balance competitiveness and profitability amid potential memory market disruptions [1][1] Market Performance - Q4 2025 shipments reached 44 million units, reflecting a 9.8% year-on-year growth [1][1] - Apple led the market with 19.6 million iPads shipped in Q4 2025, a 16.5% increase driven by strong demand for the iPad 11th Generation and M5-powered iPad Pro lineup [1][1] - Samsung's shipments declined by 9.2% year on year to 6.4 million units, while Lenovo saw a 36% increase, shipping 3.9 million units [1][1] Vendor Insights - Apple maintained a 44.9% market share in Q4 2025, while Samsung held 14.7%, Lenovo 8.8%, Huawei 6.9%, and Xiaomi 6.4% [1][1] - Lenovo's proactive shipment strategy ahead of expected price increases contributed to its growth, while Huawei and Xiaomi also reported year-on-year increases of 14.8% and 10.1%, respectively [1][1] - Vendor rankings remained unchanged in the full-year results, indicating stability in market leadership [1][1] Future Trends - The tablet market is expected to shift towards ecosystem-centric devices, with a focus on cross-OS functionality and AI-driven experiences [1][1] - Collaborations, such as between Apple and Google for generative AI features, are seen as positive developments for the tablet ecosystem [1][1]