The global tablet market entered an expected period of decline in quarter two (Q2) of 2026, with shipments falling 10% year on year to 36 million units, according to the latest research from Omdia.
For the first time in years, tablet shipments also defied the typical seasonal pattern of sequentially higher Q2 shipments driven by back-to-school demand.
Apple retained its leading position despite an 8% year-on-year decline in shipments, shipping 13.5 million iPads worldwide and capturing a 38% market share. The standard iPad accounted for the majority of shipments, with the Air and mini models contributing a smaller share of the total.
Samsung remained the second-largest vendor, shipping nearly 6 million tablets despite a 13% annual decline. As component supply constraints persist, the company is expected to dynamically adjust its product mix throughout the year, prioritizing higher-margin models to protect margins and profitability.
“The past quarter saw one of the steepest declines in the tablet market over the past two years,” said Himani Mukka, Research Manager at Omdia. “While the slowdown was anticipated, the market had remained more resilient than expected in prior quarters. Tablets have become an integral part of many households, and in several consumer use cases, detachable tablets are increasingly replacing traditional PCs for everyday computing. Relative affordability, the growing availability of larger-screen models, and tablets’ established role in education and field-based commercial environments continue to support important pockets of demand despite the broader market weakness.”
Premium tablets become a greater focus amid supply constraints
“Looking ahead, vendors are unlikely to broadly prioritize the tablet category in the current component supply-constrained environment,” added Mukka. “Instead, they will focus their limited resources on flagship and premium models, further shifting their portfolios toward premium devices.”
Beyond hardware, tablet vendors will increasingly rely on services, refined AI strategies and use-cases and renewed go-to-market strategies to drive revenue and differentiate their offerings. Omdia’s forecast of market decline in the rest of 2026 reflects both constrained availability of lower-priced tablets and consumers delaying purchases in response to rising prices.
I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today
