IDC has just released its Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker report for the first quarter of 2017, and it looks like things are not doing so well. Global shipment for tablets in the first quarter of this year continues to decline for the tenth consecutive quarter. According to IDC’s report, the total shipments for tablets for Q1 2017 was 36.2 million units, a decline of 8.5% compared to the same quarter the previous year.
In the report, the tablet market is made up of two different product categories. Devices that offers first-party keyboard like the Surface Pro, referred to as detachable tablets, continue to grow. Slates, tablet devices that does not have a keyboard, saw a shipment peak in 2014 but is now facing a steep decline. IDC believes that it will continue to decline throughout the forecast period. Devices with a permanently attached keyboard are not referred to as a tablet.
Despite the decline, Apple remains as the top player for the 13th consecutive quarter. Apple shipped 8.9 million tablets in 1Q17, a decline of 13% year-on-year. Samsung comes in at second place, with 6 million unit shipments, a decline of 1.1% year-on-year. The only manufacturer to see a growth in the top five chart is Huawei, which comes in at number three with 2.7 million units shipped this quarter; that’s a growth of 31.7% compared to 1Q16.
Do note that the report for 1Q17 does not include the latest iPad from Apple, which is one of the most affordable iPads to date, starting from RM1,549. It might not make a major impact on the sales, but it could help Apple gain back some momentum. In addition to that, the research firm also believes that the “detachable market has proven it will move with major product launches and Microsoft and Apple have yet to launch their 2017 salvos”.
Check out IDC to have an insight on its full report.
