Global shipments of tablets are forecast to slump 8.7% year-on-year in Q2Y19, according to latest research from international trade sources and component manufacturers.
According to Taiwanese trade publication, DigiTimes, Apple remained the largest shipper of tablets (i.e. iPads) in Q1, with Chinese tech giant, Huawei, unseating Samsung Electronics for second place.
Despite this, some commentators question Huawei’s ability to sustain growth in the gradually slowing global tablet market.
Lenovo has retreated to six place, resting underneath Microsoft. Suppliers forecast Q2 brand shipments to remain similar as Q1.
Worldwide tablet shipments soared 13.8% YoY to 37.1 million in Q1, partly driven by the release of new Apple iPads and robust sales of Huawei’s MediaPad series.
Demand for large screen tablets continues to mount, with 7-inch and 8-inch white-box tablet shipments slipping 6.7% in Q1.
Concerning trends, two thirds of all tablets shipped in Q1 were around 10-inches, with the shipment ratio for above 10-inches soaring past 50% for the first time.
Demand for large screen tablets is also forecast to accelerate in Q2, offsetting lower demand for 9.7-inch iPads.
