Tablet Shipments in India Declined 32.2 Percent YoY in H1 2025, Samsung Retains Leadership: IDC

India's tablet market experienced a 32.2 percent year-over-year (YoY) decline in shipments in the first half of 2025, as per a new report by the International Data Corporation (IDC). This downturn is attributed to a drop in commercial shipments. Despite the overall market contraction, Samsung retained its leadership position in the country's tablet market, capturing 41.3 percent overall market share. Lenovo was in second place, followed by Apple, Xiaomi, and Acer in subsequent positions.

IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker report shows that OEMs shipped 2.15 million units in the first half of 2025, marking a 32.2 percent YoY decline. A drop in commercial shipments, driven by a reduction in government-funded manifesto programs, was the most notable reason behind the decline, according to the firm.

The detachable tablet segment saw an 18.9 percent YoY growth, but this was offset by a steep 44.4 percent YoY decline in the slate tablet category. IDC states that India's consumer tablet market grew 20.5 percent YoY in the first half of this year, fuelled by strong vendor push and demand across e-commerce, retail, and online channels.

The commercial segment fell 61.7 percent YoY due to cancelled tenders, cost-cutting by SMBs, and slower refresh cycles in large businesses, according to the report.

Samsung Leads Indian Tablet Shipments Despite Dip in Shipments

Samsung retained its top spot by capturing 41.3 percent overall market share. The brand led both the commercial segment (47.9 percent) and the consumer segment (37.6 percent). The growth is fuelled by public sector education projects and an inventory push.

Lenovo came in second spot with 12.3 percent overall market share, while Apple was in the third spot at 11.8 percent. IDC notes that the iPhone maker registered 14.4 percent share of the consumer segment, backed by the launch of new iPad models and student discount programs.

Xiaomi took fourth place with 11.4 percent market share, driven by a 28.5 percent YoY growth in the consumer segment. Finally, Acer came in fifth position with 9.1 market share, despite a sharp 73.1 percent YoY drop, mainly due to cancelled education deals and sluggish enterprise demand.

IDC expects growth in tablet shipments for the rest of the year. “The consumer tablet market doubled between 2019 and 2021 and is expected to triple by the end of 2025. For budget-conscious buyers, tablets offer a perfect blend of portability and functionality without the high cost of laptops, said Bharath Shenoy, research manager, Devices Research, IDC India, and South Asia.

"Tablet procurement surged in Government and Education segments over the past few years, but with a 3-4 year refresh cycle, public sector demand has been dwindling over the past few quarters, which might lead to a high double-digit decline in the commercial segment", he added.