Consumers and vendors are being more deliberate about which devices to prioritise. (Image source: 123RF)
Once considered a key staple in computing, the demand for tablet devices has weakened, with marginal growth recorded in the first quarter (Q1) of the year.
Insights from Omdia research show the global tablet market remained flat in Q1 2026, with shipments rising just 0.1% year-on-year, to reach 37 million units.
The research firm states the only positives were recorded regionally in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, but this was driven by inventory build-up rather than underlying end-user demand.
“Heading into 2026, tablets have been relegated in importance for vendors across margins, volume and overall value,” says Himani Mukka, research manager at Omdia. “In this supply-constrained environment, consumers and vendors alike are being more deliberate about which devices to prioritise.
“PC vendors are focusing on notebooks and desktops, while those operating across both smartphones and tablets are gravitating toward smartphones due to their outsized contribution to overall business.”
Mukka further notes that within the tablet space, vendors’ focus in 2026 will be skewed toward the premium segment, where demand has held up better relative to the mass market.
“The volume tier is more challenged: promotional headroom is limited as there is little room to absorb further price increases, and tablets lack a structural refresh catalyst comparable to the Windows 10 end-of-support cycle in the PC market. The outlook for the second half of 2026 is expected to remain cautious, with volume market segments facing the greatest pressure on both shipment volume and value.”
An overview of global tablet market shipments from Q4 2023 to Q1 2026.
Among leading vendors in Q1 2026 were Huawei and Lenovo, which recorded the strongest growth, says Omdia, with shipments increasing 28% and 20% year-on-year, respectively.
Apple retained its top position, shipping 14.8 million units and growing 7.9% year-on-year, supported by strong performance from the iPad Air.
Samsung ranked second, but faced pricing pressures, with shipments declining 12.6% year-on-year to 5.8 million units.
Huawei placed third, shipping 3.2 million units and growing 28% year-on-year, as it continues to steadily expand its presence across Asia Pacific.
Chinese manufacturer Lenovo followed with 3 million units, up 20% year-on-year. Xiaomi rounded out the top five, shipping 2.6 million units, reflecting a 13.6% year-on-year decline in the quarter.
