Overview
- Apple led the market with 13.2 million units shipped, up 5.2% year on year, driven by strong sales of the 10.9-inch iPad, while Samsung fell 1.9% to 6.9 million.
- Lenovo climbed 22.6% to 3.7 million units as Huawei and Xiaomi also posted gains, but smaller vendors outside the top five shrank to 8.3 million from 11.2 million a year ago.
- IDC ties the slowdown to inventory overhang after manufacturers stockpiled in the first half of 2025 due to tariff concerns.
- Longer replacement cycles are further suppressing upgrades as users hold onto tablets for more time between refreshes.
- IDC flags steady demand from education and government procurement in emerging markets and points to a near‑term recovery led by productivity‑centric, mid‑premium devices with AI‑driven features and detachables.