India tablet market in 2023 fell 24.9 percent, shipping a total of 4.01 million units, according to a report from IDC.
The IDC report highlights contrasting trends within the tablet market, with the detachable category witnessing growth of 17.7 percent, while the slate category faced a decline of 33.3 percent during the same period.
Segment-wise analysis reveals a mixed scenario. While the consumer segment saw a modest growth of 1.9 percent, the commercial segment experienced a sharp decline of 42.3 percent. This decline in the commercial segment can be attributed to delayed or cancelled government deals. Furthermore, the education segment plummeted by 53.7 percent, and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) witnessed a decline of 25.9 percent.
Retail channels saw an 11.9 percent increase in shipments, while vendors like Realme and Xiaomi drove a significant 54 percent growth in the direct internet channel, leveraging their own websites for sales.
“As Chinese vendors such as realme and Xiaomi became aggressive, consumers had more to choose from. With options under US$300, with bigger screens, and increased usage of tablets for on-the-go productivity and entertainment, the consumer segment grew despite challenging market conditions,” Bharath Shenoy, Senior Research Analyst at IDC India, said.
Top 5 Company Highlights: 2023
Samsung: Despite leading the market with a share of 39.5 percent, Samsung faced a decline of 34.7 percent. The company maintained its dominance in both the commercial and consumer segments, although stiff competition impacted its consumer segment share.
Lenovo: Lenovo secured the second position with a share of 14.3 percent, witnessing a decline of 38.6 percent. The company faced challenges in both commercial and consumer segments due to reduced demand and limited presence in manifesto deals.
Apple: With a share of 13.9 percent, Apple stood third, experiencing a decline of 11.1 percent. Despite losing market share, Apple remained popular among students, offering attractive discounts. It also made strides in the commercial segment, gaining traction in sectors like IT/ITES and automotive.
Acer: Holding the fourth position with a share of 7.3 percent, Acer witnessed challenges due to delayed or cancelled government projects. Despite this, the company maintained its third position in the commercial segment.
Realme: Realme secured the fifth position with a share of 6.8 percent, experiencing growth of 9.5 percent. The consumer-centric vendor’s aggressive strategies, especially during festive sales, contributed to its growth in the market.
PREDICTIONS
“Tablets will be challenged in 2024 due to reduced demand in the commercial segment. Government-driven projects will be limited in the first half of 2024 due to the elections code of conduct. Also, tablets market will witness stiff competition from Chromebooks and entry level Android notebooks such as JioBook in the manifesto deals,” Navkendar Singh, Associate Vice President, Devices Research, IDC India, South Asia & ANZ said.
