Why does Apple continue to release new tablets faster than any of its peers? The answer is simple: they sell. And, in the first quarter of 2021, Apple has sold more iPads ever than anyone else, dominating the tablet segment. Joining Apple in this quest is Samsung, coming in at a close second place. Lenovo follows in third place to wrap up the podium.
Based on the data from a recent Counterpoint research, it is shown that Apple grew 53 percent year-on-year compared to first quarter of 2020. The market share figures stand at 37 percent, which is way more than the 30 percent from last year. Samsung increased its share from 16 percent to 20 percent in the same time frame.
Apple sells more iPads in Q1 2021
The biggest reason for this growth is the entry-level iPad model that Apple refreshed back in September 2020. The 8th Gen iPad is the most affordable tablet starting at $299 and it made up for 56 percent of Apple’s share. The rest of the major performers in the iPad kingdom include the iPad Air 4 at 19 percent and iPad Pro at 18 percent. Do note that this includes the older iPad Pro with the A12Z chip.
The new iPad Pro based on the Apple M1 chip is said to have been received well but chip shortage means the sales aren’t happening yet. Analysts are hopeful of a good show from the M1 iPad Pro by Q3 2021 and the last quarter of 2021.
The major reason for the gains that Apple and Samsung enjoyed in this segment was mainly due to some of the rivals withdrawing from the market. Another reason was concentrated efforts in select markets. “Despite the off-season effect, Apple improved its performance in all major regions, particularly in Japan, where its sales continued to hit all-time highs,” says the report.
While Lenovo also gained traction in this market, Huawei and other brands lost their shares to the big ones. This is despite the fact that Apple’s iPads are among the more expensive options in the market when compared to Android tablets.
This year, more players are jumping into this segment. Realme just announced that it will launch the Realme Pad tablet later this year along with a laptop. Initial renders show an iPad Pro-inspired design.
