Newsletter
According to IDC, the downfall of the tablets and Chromebook market continued in Q3 2023. Also, it does not seem that the upcoming holiday season can make a drastic change in the market. Experts are now worried that the decline could expand into 2024.
The tablet and Chromebook market surged in 2020 and 2021, and the reason is quite apparent. As people were locked in their houses, they needed devices for work, play, and school. However, the end of the pandemic and the opening of schools and workplaces turned the tablet and Chromebook market upside down. In 2022, the tablet segment experienced a decline of 3.3% year over year, and Chromebook shipments also declined by 24.3%.
For the third quarter of 2023, IDC reports that the tablet market saw a decline of 14.2% year over year, with a total shipment of 33.2 million units. IDC further added the market experienced an upsurge of 18% over the previous quarter due to seasonality.
Shipment of tablets and Chromebooks continue to fall in 2023
The Chromebook market is also declining. As per the report, 3.5 million Chromebook shipments in Q3 2023 represented a 20.8% decrease in shipments year over year. Chromebook producers hope that government plans for education and leftover budgets could increase demand for the product.
Apple, Samsung, and Lenovo are the top three rivals in the tablet market. Despite declining 15.1% year over year, Apple led the tablet market with shipments of 12.5 million units. In contrast to previous years, Apple has opted not to release new models in the third quarter, which usually leads to a boost in the second half of the year. Samsung also placed second in the quarter with 6 million devices shipped. The third and fourth positions belong to Lenovo and Huawei, with 2.6 million and 2.3 million units shipped, respectively.
Anuroopa Nataraj, senior research analyst with IDC, said, “The first three quarters of 2023 recorded some of the largest contractions in the tablet market. He added the downfall is expected to continue into 2024 due to no dramatic improvements in macroeconomic conditions.
To stoke more interest in the Chromebooks, Google and other manufacturers have launched the Chromebook Plus lineup with upgraded hardware and enhanced software experience. It remains to be seen if this new tier could save the Chromebook market. Acer, HP, Dell, Lenovo, and Asus are the top five Chromebook companies globally. Samsung might soon join the list with a budget Chromebook.