Tablet shipments rebound in Q1 2025, driven by China and consumer upgrades
According to new data from Canalys, worldwide tablet shipments rose 8.5% year-over-year.
It turns out the global tablet market just needed a nudge—from subsidies, ageing devices, and a well-timed holiday.
After several slow quarters, the global tablet market is back in growth mode. According to new data from Canalys, worldwide tablet shipments rose 8.5% year-over-year in Q1 2025, hitting 36.8 million units.
This was driven by a convergence of factors across key markets. Every region posted gains, but the real action came from China and the U.S., each for very different reasons.
Greater China led the global upswing, fueled by a perfect storm of Lunar New Year promotions and government-backed consumer subsidies. That mix delivered a sharp jump in shipments, especially for domestic players. Apple held onto its top spot, but Chinese brands gained serious ground. Huawei and Xiaomi leaned into their broad tablet lineups and interconnected ecosystems, appealing to a wide user base.
Meanwhile, the U.S. market took a more complicated route. Early in the quarter, tariff uncertainty sparked a spike in tablet imports. For a brief moment in January, the market braced for price hikes following new trade policy signals from the Trump administration. But a few days later, many electronics—including tablets—were granted exemptions, sending import volumes crashing in February.
The primary factor driving U.S. sales was the overdue need for consumers to refresh their devices. Tablets purchased during the pandemic are now four to five years old and are beginning to show signs of wear. Many users are finally upgrading, particularly as new products become available.
Examining sectoral performance, the commercial tablet market remained quiet, despite education continuing to present opportunities. Japan's GIGA program, in conjunction with new government-backed deployments in India and Thailand, contributed to the stability of volumes. Meanwhile, the U.S. confronts uncertainty as significant cuts to the Department of Education jeopardized future procurement budgets.
As for the global leaderboard, Apple is still in command, shipping 13.7 million iPads in Q1—a 14% year-on-year increase. Samsung held second with 6.6 million shipments, though that marked a 5.2% decline. Xiaomi delivered the biggest surprise, overtaking Lenovo for the first time with 3.1 million units shipped, up 56% from the previous year. Lenovo followed with 2.5 million units (up 19%), and Huawei rounded out the top five despite a 12.5% drop, shipping 2.4 million units.
While tablets sales may no longer be surging, their utility and adaptability are helping them regain relevance quietly, steadily, and across more corners of the world than expected.
