Report: Q1 tablet sales up 44%
April 29, 2021
Lockdown measures around the globe have led to more demand for tablets than can be met right now, according to a report by Strategy Analytics.
Apple, Samsung, Lenovo and Amazon all posted strong tablet results in Q1 2021 as Covid has reshaped how consumers spend time and where they get work done. Tablets are now able to meet this moment after years of productivity-focused upgrades. Employers and employees have found key benefits in work-from-home (WFH) arrangements, which could bode well for longer term tablet usage and ownership trends.
Apple saw YoY quarterly growth of 75 per cent, shifting 16.8 million tablets. Samsung was up 70 per cent with 8.3 million sales; Amazon was up 37 per cent with 3.8 million sales; and Lenovo was up 138 per cent, also woth 3.8 million sales.
As a whole, the tablet market saw sales up 44 per cent.
Eric Smith, Director – Connected Computing said: “To find this kind of growth, we have to go all the back to Q1 2013, which is just incredible to think about. One thing to keep in mind is a favourable comparison to the dire environment the world was facing in Q1 2020. Still, continued work-from-home activity has baked in the need for real computing power in the home for each member of the household. Our surveys are showing that attitudes toward WFH are net positive even as people look beyond Covid restrictions lifting.”
Chirag Upadhyay, Industry Analyst added, “Apple had very strong performance last quarter, but so did many of its Android rivals like Samsung, Lenovo, and Amazon. Productivity is a part of most vendor line-ups now, which lends well to work and learn-from-home demand. Even as laptop demand stays hot, Windows Detachables from Microsoft, Lenovo, HP, and Dell are showing growth once again. And, as we all seek ways of unwinding at home, tablets provide flexibility in being able to enjoy videos, games, and communication.”
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