EMEA tablet market sees first negative quarter since start of pandemic

IDC also forecasts the year-on-year decline to continue for the second half of 2021

EMEA tablet market sees first negative quarter since start of pandemic

Tablet market shipments in EMEA have declined year-on-year for the first time since the start of the pandemic, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).

Shipments reached 11.8m units in EMEA during the second quarter of 2021, representing a 1.7 per cent year-on-year decline which the IDC puts down to "a slowdown in consumer demand".

But volumes still remain significantly above the pre-pandemic period, up 22.4 per cent compared with 2019, which the IDC claims indicates an increase in the total addressable market

"Market performance was affected by the unfavourable YoY comparison, as 2Q20 witnessed an avalanche of shipments to address home learning and entertainment," explained Nikolina Jurisic, associate research director, IDC.

"Slate tablets lost popularity as social restrictions eased, whereas detachable tablets continued on a strong positive trajectory, gaining from the notebook-like experience, new product launches, and versatility that supports hybrid working and learning."

Samsung remains the market leader in EMEA, fuelled by the strong position it holds in emerging markets, while Apple retained second position.

Meanwhile, Lenovo posted a considerable market share growth and TCL made its first appearance in the top five ranking by coming in at fourth overall.

The IDC expects the EMEA tablet market to continue its year-on-year decline for the rest of 2021, predicting a 10.9 per cent year-on-year drop for the second half of the year at 24.3 million devices shipped.

The decline will be seen as demand starts showing "signs of exhaustion as lockdowns are lifted", according to the IDC, which adds that education deals are "not expected to generate similar volumes for the rest of the year as in the last 12 months".

For the whole of 2021, the tablet market in EMEA is expected to decline 1.1 per cent year-on-year.

However, as restrictions across the region are lifted, the commercial segment — excluding education — is anticipated to rebound and increase at a compound annual growth rate of 6.3 per cent until 2025.