Low-cost Tablets Contribute to Tablet Decline - IDC

A total of 43 million tablets were shipped worldwide in the third quarter of this year, representing a year-over-year decline of 14.7%, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker.

This is in contrast with low-cost (sub-$200 or R2 600) detachable tablets reaching an all-time high.

"Unfortunately, many low-cost detachables also deliver a low-cost experience," says Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers.

"The race to the bottom is something we have already experienced with slates (a thin tablet, sized between 10cm and 20cm, like the iPad) and it may prove detrimental to the market in the long run as detachables could easily be seen as disposable devices rather than potential PC replacements."

Apple's iPad Air and Mini lines have been the models with mass appeal, despite the company releasing a larger iPad Pro. The iPad Air and Mini accounted for two-thirds of its shipments this quarter; however, there was still 6.2% year-over-year decline.

Samsung continues to hold the second position in market share. "However, overreliance on the declining slate market led to a decline of 19.3% compared to 3Q15," says the IDC.

The company says Samsung's attempt to enter the detachable market with its TabPro S did not work because the pricing and positioning were uncompetitive.

Lenovo continued to maintain its stronghold in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) as well as EMEA. The IDC says even though the company has products across its entire consumer electronics portfolio, none were enough to raise Lenovo's profile in the tablet market, which resulted in a 10.8% decline.

Huawei's strong presence in the adjacent smartphone market and overall brand recognition has cascaded into the tablet market, says the research firm.

Huawei tablets stand out, says IDC, because most come integrated with cellular connectivity while maintaining a similar price to rivals that only offer WiFi-enabled devices.