2016/08/05 Tablet Market Stabilizing as ASPs climb 9% in Q2 2016, says Strategy Analytics

46.7 million Tablets shipped in during the quarter, down 8% year-on-year, flat sequentially

Boston, MA - July 29, 2016 – Global Tablet shipments fell 8% year-on-year in Q2 2016 to 46.7 million units while average selling prices (ASPs) went the other way, climbing 9% during the same period. Consumers and enterprises alike are buying more Pro Slates (e.g., iPad Pro, Surface Pro 4) than ever before as prices reach tolerable levels and as computing behaviors and needs shift toward more mobility and touchscreen interfaces, according to the new “Preliminary Global Tablet Shipments and Market Share: Q2 2016” report from Strategy Analytics’ Tablet & Touchscreen Strategies (TTS) service.

Peter King, Service Director, Tablet & Touchscreen Strategies service said, “iPad has marked 10 quarters of annual shipment declines but some light is now visible at the end of the tunnel. In the same way that Windows tablets gained market share with a wide range of premium to low tier 2-in-1 Tablets, Apple is riding consumer and enterprise demand for 2-in-1s with multiple price tiers of buy-in to its vision of what a converged computing device can achieve. Meanwhile, Android has not been able to break out of its cost-conscious, entertainment-focused roots and until true multi-tasking is available across the installed base, this perception will remain reality. Still, low-cost traditional slate tablets devoted to entertainment do hold value for consumers, reflected in Android’s 64% share.”

Eric Smith, Senior Analyst, Tablet & Touchscreen Strategies service added, “Mobile-first vendors are putting pressure on the industry to release more reasonably priced, yet still powerful, 2-in-1 Tablets. Apple, Huawei, and Samsung are just the latest companies to join the segment at a time when consumers and enterprises are more receptive to the functionality and affordability of these converged computing devices. In return, higher average selling prices of 2-in-1 Tablets, compared to traditional slates, have returned more profit back to tablet vendors across the spectrum as people around the world begin making the choice between upgrading their PCs, Tablets, or just going with one converged 2-in-1 device for the home and business.”

Exhibit 1: Global Tablet Market Decline Reached 8% YoY as Losses Slowed in Q2 2016

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Apple iOS shipments (sell-in) came in at 10.0 million iPads in Q2 2016 leaving it with a worldwide market share of 21% of the Tablet market. The 10.0 million shipments in Q2 2016 declined 9% annually and 3% sequentially. Q2 2016 represented the first full quarter of iPad Pro 9.7 sales, which helped drive ASPs to $490 and contributed to the best quarter Apple has had in 2 years.
• Android branded vendors shipped 30.1 million units among them worldwide in Q2 2016, down 15% from 35.2 million a year earlier and flat sequentially. Market share has fallen to 64% as high growth of Windows tablet shipments squeeze Android tablets. There is a reordering underway among Android vendors in the middle tier so even though shipments by large vendors like Samsung have fallen, smaller vendors like Huawei, Amazon, and TCL-Alcatel continue to expand their reach.
• Windows shipments grew 43% year-on-year at 6.7 million units in Q2 2016, from 4.6 million in Q2 2015, reaching 14% market share. Shipments climbed 5% sequentially. Windows share continues to improve as more models are launched by traditional PC vendors and mobile-first vendors alike, Microsoft expands its Surface distribution and lineup, and White Box vendors sell more Windows Tablets.
  Source: Strategy Analytics