Apple Leads India’s Tablet Market followed by Lenovo and Samsung

Indian smartphone marketing is one of the biggest in the world and there is no doubt that it is still growing tremendously. However, tablet marketing is also booming as evidenced by this latest report from CyberMedia Research (CMR) India.

Highlights

• The Indian tablet market grew 15% QoQ in Q4 2023.
• 5G tablets grew 43% QoQ.
• Premium tablets priced between 20,000-30,000 INR grew 95% QoQ.
• Wi-Fi tablets grew 43% QoQ.
• Apple led the market with a 25% share, followed by Lenovo and Samsung.
• The market is expected to grow 5-10% in 2024.

Here is a breakdown of the report and an overall look at the Indian tablet market in 2024.

Key findings of the CMR India report

The market has witnessed a 21% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) growth in Q4 2023, driven by strong demand for 5G tablets. The market also saw an incredible 95% increase in premium tablets priced between 20,000-30,000 INR in Q4 2023 indicating a shift toward higher-end devices.

The demand for 5G tablets has soared significantly which is evident by a 43% increase in shipments YoY. Wi-Fi tablets also grew 13% QoQ accounting for 52% of the overall tablets shipped.

There is a clear preference for 5G connectivity even though Wi-Fi tablets are sold more, the trend can change in coming years.

Who’s leading the market?

So, who’s leading the market in Q4 2023? It’s Apple, which isn’t surprising since their tablets are one of the best in the market and the older generations are available at deep price cuts.

Apple leads the market with a 25% market share with the iPad 10 and 9 series being the most popular. Apple is closely followed by Lenovo with a market share of 24%. For Lenovo, Tab M10 and M9 are the best performers.

Also Read: Apple rumoured to launch 12.9-inch iPad Air and OLED iPad Pros in 2024

In third place is Samsung with a market share of 19%. The models like Galaxy Tab A7 Lite and Galaxy Tab S6 Lite were the most popular choice. The rest 32% is dominated by Chinese makers like Redmi, Oppo, and Vivo.

It is interesting to note that compared to Q4 2022, the market share of Apple tablets has fallen significantly from 37% to 25%. Even the Lenovo’s market share fell from 30% to 24%, while the Samsing’s market share has increased from 17% to 19%.

This indicates a sharp increase in Chinese tablets popularity like the Oppo Pad Air and Redmi Tab 6 which has cannibalised Apple’s share.

While the overall tablet market saw a 14% decline in shipments in CY2023, 5G tablet shipments experienced a significant 48% year-over-year growth. This contrast highlights a potential shift in consumer demand towards 5G-connected tablets.

The growth is driven by several factors, including the increasing popularity of 5G, the growing demand for premium devices, and the government’s focus on digital education.

Apple led the Indian tablet market in Q4 2023 with a 25% share, followed by Lenovo and Samsung. The market is expected to grow 5-10% in 2024.

What’s driving the growth?

The growth of the Indian tablet market is being driven by several factors, including:

• The increasing popularity of 5G: 5G offers faster speeds and lower latency, which is ideal for streaming video, playing games, and downloading large files.
• The growing demand for premium devices: Consumers are increasingly willing to spend more on tablets that offer better features and performance.
• The government’s focus on digital education: The government’s initiatives such as Digital India and the National Education Policy 2020 are driving the demand for tablets in schools and educational institutions.

What does the future hold for the Indian tablet market?

The Indian tablet market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. The increasing popularity of 5G, the growing demand for premium devices, and the government’s focus on digital education are all expected to contribute to the market’s growth.

The Indian tablet market is still relatively small compared to the smartphone market, but it is growing rapidly.