China's tablet market shipments decrease by 3.4% to 7.05 million in Q3, with local brands showing resilient growth

By Greg Gao

(JW Insights) Nov 16 -- The shipment volume in China's tablet market reached approximately 7.05 million units in the third quarter of 2023, marking a 3.4% year-on-year decrease, while leading local brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi, and vivo saw an unexpected growth in shipments, according to research firm IDC.

While the consumer market experienced a 4.3% YoY decline, the commercial market showed a 7.4% YoY growth. 

Two key factors contributed to the better-than-expected performance in tablet shipments during Q3. Firstly, mainstream brands in the consumer market proactively expanded their business through technological innovation and product line extensions. Secondly, the commercial market continued its recovery growth, said IDC.

Apple maintained its leading position with a 33.4% share, followed closely by Huawei with a 27.9% share. Xiaomi secured the third position with an 11.4% share, a significant increase compared to the same period last year. Honor held a 7.8% share, while Lenovo accounted for 6.2%.

Analysts note that the tablet market is currently characterized by diverse offerings, with some companies achieving strong sales performance during summer promotions.

The consumer tablet market experienced a fluctuating pattern, with continuous breakthroughs in chip solutions and software user experiences. Shipments in the commercial market continued to recover, showing growth in government, education, and enterprise procurement. With the development of AI technology, tablets, as mobile large-screen computing devices, are anticipated to have promising market prospects.

The average unit price in China's tablet market has consistently decreased, reaching RMB2,793($385) in the third quarter. Price distribution analysis reveals a decrease in the share of tablets priced between RMB2,000($275) and RMB4,000($551), while the share of tablets priced below RMB2,000 has increased, according to the IDC report.