The tablet market in India is finally showing signs of life. This is, after years spent with tablet makers making a case for its versatility as a media consumption, entertainment, gaming and a work device. And only an occasional spark reflected in numbers. That has changed, and one would hope this momentum sustains. The latest data by International Data Corporation’s (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker indicates shipments of 1.84 million units in Q2 2024, which represents a 128.8% improvement in year-on-year numbers. In the same quarter last year, tablet shipments in India were around the 808 thousand.
The latest CyberMedia Research (CMR) Tablet PC India Market Report Review for Q2 2024 also indicates an upward trajectory, with the Indian tablet market growing 23% quarter on quarter in Q2 2024. The key to this however is tablet makers such as Xiaomi, OnePlus, Samsung and Honor, discovering a formula that works for tablets between the ₹20,000 and ₹30,000 price band.
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Rarely do research firms and their data find consensus (and they don’t need to), as IDC’s latest numbers give Samsung the lead in terms of market share, with 48.7% of India’s Q2 shipments. They say Acer (23.6%) follows, and Apple (9.5%) is in a distant third, followed by a fast-slipping Lenovo (6.9% share compared with 16.2% the year before) and Xiaomi (4.7% share).
Samsung, in a statement shared with HT, says their strong performance has been bolstered by the company’s involvement in public sector education projects, while there has been a significant inventory push in the consumer segment, focused on online sales.
In contrast, CMR’s data suggests Apple has the lead of India’s tablet market share (33%) followed by Samsung (29%) and Lenovo (16% now, down from 23% the year earlier – no tablet maker has lost as much share). Xiaomi has a healthy (and increasing) 10% share now, followed by Realme at 7% pie of the market.
But there is clear consensus on why India’s tablet shipments are gathering speed. “There has been increased demand for tablets priced at US$200-US$300 as vendors are introducing products with good specifications in this relatively affordable price range. Discounts and cashbacks make the purchases more lucrative, leading to robust demand for consumer tablets, and this trend is expected to continue in the near future,” says Priyansh Tiwari, Research Analyst, Devices Research, IDC India & South Asia.
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That’s roughly referencing the ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 price band, which has seen a number of launches since the turn of the year. The impact of that, with users finding value balancing price with performance, is now being reflected in the numbers. Across new launches, specs have seen a significant improvement compared to the previous generation of similarly priced tablets, which has helped deliver a consistent user experience. That said, tablet makers do not share sales data for individual products in their portfolio.
Xiaomi’s widening tablet portfolio now has the recently launched Redmi Pad Pro 5G as well as the price-corrected Xiaomi Pad 6 (both with prices starting around ₹25,000) – both tablets also have optional keyboard accessories priced less than ₹5,000 in case a secondary work machine is on the agenda. The Honor Pad 9, with prices starting ₹22,999 has also done its bit in getting users interested in tablets. The OnePlus Pad Go (around ₹23,999) and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ (that’s around ₹21,999 with 5G as a spec too) are options.
“The tablet market in India is poised for market growth, offering significant opportunities for both established players and new entrants. The convergence of tablets with smart home ecosystems and enhanced connectivity will redefine user interactions, making tablets an integral part of the digital lifestyle in India,” Menka Kumari, who is Analyst – Industry Intelligence Group (IIG) at CyberMedia Research (CMR), points out.
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The Honor Pad 9 with its 12.1-inch display, the Redmi Pad Pro 5G with a similar 12.1-inch screen and the OnePlus Pad Go’s 11.35-inch display real estate, also indicate a trend of larger tablets that also work better as laptop replacements.
Lenovo’s contrasting fortunes aren’t exactly surprising, considering the rather uninspiring tablet portfolio, lack of meaningful launches and a rather disinterested approach overall. The company’s only mainstream tablet launch of note this year has been the Tab K11 (priced between ₹18,000 and ₹20,0000), released in May, and with specs that look definitively subdued when weighed against the competition.
CMR is forecasting a steady growth for India’s tablet market through to the end of 2024 and should be in the range of 5-10% year on year improvement. IDC predicts the tablet market in India will grow into the high double digits, in 2024.