?Slump continues as tablet markets records worst quarter since 2012
According to Strategy Analytics, tablet shipments fell 10 percent to 46.5 million units during the Q1 2016, with Huawei cracking the top five vendors globally with 66 percent year-on-year growth during the first quarter of 2016.
“Apple’s iPad sales declined for nine straight quarters as the average consumer finds little need to pay an Apple premium to upgrade to the latest and greatest models, which is why iOS market share has fallen to 22 percent this quarter,” says Peter King, Research Director, Tablet & Touchscreen Strategies, Strategy Analytics.
“Now, Android tablet shipments are declining as the White Box vendor consolidate and branded vendors find it harder to compete on price in such a crowded market.
“The key for Apple and major Android and Windows vendors will be how aggressively they pursue the enterprise and prosumer markets with their 2-in-1 tablets, which is still a growing segment.”
As reported by Strategy Analytics, Apple iOS shipments (sell-in) came in at 10.3 million iPads in Q1 2016 leaving it with a worldwide market share of 22 percent of the tablet market - the 10.3 million shipments in Q1 2016 declined 19 percent annually and 36 percent sequentially on low seasonality following the Q4 holidays.
In addition, Android branded vendors shipped 30.0 million units among them worldwide in Q1 2016, down 16 percent from 35.9 million a year earlier and down 33 percent sequentially on low seasonality - market share has fallen to 65 percent as high growth of Windows tablet shipments squeeze Android tablets.
Meanwhile, Windows shipments grew 82 percent year-on-year at 6.2 million units in Q1 2016, from 3.4 million in Q1 2015, reaching 13 percent market share - shipments fell 27 percent sequentially on low seasonality.
“Among top five vendors, Huawei was the only one to show year-on-year growth at a blazing 66 percent growth rate,” adds Eric Smith, Senior Analyst, Tablet & Touchscreen Strategies, Strategy Analytics.
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“Emerging markets were a bright spot for Huawei as it has still not entered the US market in any meaningful way with their tablets.
“Huawei is also one of several mobile-first vendors releasing Windows 2-in-1 tablets in the first half of 2016, along with Samsung and Alcatel OneTouch. What we are looking for are much lower prices for so-called Surface-clones to heat this segment up even further and capture even more PC replacement dollars.”
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