As Apple gears up to unveil its latest iPads, the Indian tablet market shows no signs of slowing down. Apple is expected to launch the iPad Pro models in 11.1-inch and 12.9-inch sizes with OLED displays for the first time, which marks a significant shift and a strategic move seeing the demand for OLED tablets in the market.
According to CyberMedia Research's (CMR) Q1 2024 report, there was impressive 8% quarter-on-quarter growth, fueled by soaring demand for 5G tablets. Though Samsung led with a 37% market share in the said quarter, Apple followed closely at 21%, while Lenovo and Xiaomi also made notable strides.
While Samsung held on to the top position with 37% market share, with the success of popular models like the Tab A7 Lite and Galaxy Tab A9 Plus and strong B2B deals, Apple secured a solid 21% share, primarily due to the success of its Apple iPad 10 and 9 Series, CMR report added.
The premium tablet segment witnesses a significant 47% QoQ surge, signaling a shift towards high-end devices. Apple can tap into this potential with the launch of its new iPads. Despite the 5G wave, Wi-Fi tablets maintain a dominant 52% market share, which makes Wi-Fi tablets relevant even today, at least in the first quarter of 2024.
"The rapid rollout of 5G infrastructure and the increasing availability of 5G-enabled tablets are fueling a consumer desire for future-proofing themselves with 5G tablets. This, combined with the presence of feature-rich tablets across price-points is propelling tablets to become pivotal tools in consumers' lives. Even amidst economic challenges, the Indian tablet market has shown remarkable resilience, suggesting strong potential for continued growth," said Menka Kumari, Analyst – Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CyberMedia Research (CMR).
Looking ahead, CMR forecasts a steady 5–10% growth for the tablet market in 2024, driven by technological advancements such as faster processors and widespread 5G adoption. The potential introduction of premium tablets featuring OLED displays is expected to further propel market expansion. Considering Apple is going to launch the new iPads with OLED panels, the timing couldn't be perfect to scale up from second to first.
"With smartphone brands focusing on the tablet PC market, we foresee intensified competition and innovation, reshaping the Tablet market with more diverse and feature-rich options for consumers. The potential debut of premium tablets with OLED displays will further fuel the growth momentum of the premium segment. We also anticipate that government and education initiatives following the general elections might provide a significant boost to the market," Menka further added.
