Global Tablet Shipments Rebounded in 2024 as Apple Retains Top Spot: Report

Global tablet shipments rose to 148 million units in 2024, according to a Canalys report, marking a 9 percent increase over the previous year. After three years of decline, the tablet market appears to be growing, and Apple retained its position at the top with 56.9 million units shipped and a 38.6 percent market share. The next four positions were taken by Samsung, Lenovo, Huawei, and Xiaomi, in the same order. Amazon, which was in fifth place a year ago, was reportedly displaced by the Chinese smartphone maker.

Apple's iPad Shipments Grew 5.3 Percent in FY 2024

According to the Canalys PC Market Pulse for 2024, shipments for tablets grew by 9 percent last year, with over 147.6 million units shipped. Shipments in Q4 2024 rose 5.6 percent, reaching 39.9 million units. The shipments of tablets have finally increased, after three consecutive years of decline, the market research firm says in its report.

Global tablet shipments between 2016 and 2024
Photo Credit: Canalys

Apple shipped 56.9 million iPad units and led the market last year, with a 38.6 percent market share. The company's sales in Q4 were boosted by the launch of its latest iPad Air and iPad Pro models. Samsung was in second place at 18.8 percent, after shipping 27.8 million tablets. Huawei and Lenovo both shipped 10.4 million units, but the former had a 7.3 percent market share, while the latter's was slightly lower at 7.1 percent.

Xiaomi unseated Amazon from the list of top five brands, shipping 9.2 million tablets, and bringing its market share to 6.2 percent. The Chinese smartphone brand grew 73.1 percent in 2024, allowing it to replace Amazon among the top brands in Canalys' report.

The research firm also highlights efforts taken by Chinese tablet manufacturers to hold on to (or increase) their market share in the country. For example, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro was launched in Q4 2024, while Honor has introduced 'bundling' offers in the UK, according to the report.

"Consumer tablets are set for a more constrained performance this year, but there will be pockets of opportunity for vendors to target," said Himani Mukka, Research Manager at Canalys. The market analysis firm says 52 percent of surveyed channel partners said they expect commercial tablet shipments to increase over the course of this year.