Global tablet shipments dropped 23% year over year to roughly 32 million units in the third quarter of 2026, according to Omdia. It was the market’s second consecutive quarter of double-digit contraction, pushing volumes to their lowest level in nearly three years.
Lenovo was the sole vendor in the top five to expand shipments, recording 11.9% growth in the quarter. The company had also grown 20% in the first quarter and 27.1% in the second. Its broad portfolio, lower-cost models and competitive specifications may have helped sustain demand despite price increases in recent months.
- Lenovo: shipments rose 11.9% year over year in Q3 2026.
- Apple: iPad shipments fell 27.5%, following a 7.5% decline in the previous quarter.
- Samsung: shipments declined 21.7%.
- Xiaomi: shipments fell 10.6%.
- Huawei: shipments nearly halved year over year, dropping the company to fifth place globally.
Omdia does not expect a significant tablet-market recovery before 2028. Supply constraints, higher prices and a shortage of compelling upgrade incentives are continuing to weigh on demand, leaving vendors under pressure to give existing tablet owners a stronger reason to replace their devices.
