Global Tablet Shipments Surge 13.1 Percent YoY in Q2, Apple Maintains Lead: IDC

Global tablet shipments rose by 13.1 percent year-over-year in the second quarter of 2025, as per a report by International Data Corporation (IDC). Momentum from the first quarter carried into Q2, supported by product refreshes and ongoing replacement cycles, contributing to the overall increase in tablet shipments. Apple once again topped IDC’s list of tablet manufacturers, driven by the popularity of the latest 10.9-inch iPad and new iPad Air models. Samsung came in second place, followed by Lenovo. Amazon and Xiaomi came in the fourth and fifth positions, respectively.

Tablet Shipments Reportedly Rose Due to New Product Launches, Replacement Cycles

As per IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker report, global tablet shipments surged 13.1 percent YoY in Q2 2025, reaching 38.3 million units, up from 33.8 million in the same period last year. The growth is attributed to new product launches, replacement cycles, active education projects and subsidies in China. IDC notes that AI-powered features and productivity and performance optimisation helped in increasing interest in the premium tablet segment.

Apple retained a major share of global tablet shipments and maintained its top position in Q2 with a market share of 33.1 percent. The Cupertino-based brand shipped 12.7 million units and registered a 2.4 percent YoY growth in the same period. The popularity of the latest 10.9-inch iPad model and 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models supported Apple’s sales volume.

Samsung secured second place with shipments of 7.2 million units. It saw 4.2 percent YoY growth and grabbed an 18.7 percent market share. IDC observes that the brand has been actively ramping up shipments in the Middle East and Europe to strengthen its position against leading competitors in those regions, in addition to increased volumes from Latin America projects.

According to the IDC’s report, Lenovo remained in third position with 8.2 percent market share. The Chinese brand has registered 25 percent YoY growth with 3.1 million shipment units. IDC notes that the growth was fuelled by the sale of Tab M series, Lenovo Y700 and Xiaoxin Pad Pro models.

Amazon re-entered the top five tablet vendors in the second quarter, claiming the fourth spot. The company shipped 3.1 million units and recorded a 205 percent YoY growth. This surge is likely due to the timing of Prime Day ahead of a potential tariff announcement, prompting Amazon to stock up on additional inventory during the quarter.

In fifth position, Xiaomi shipped 2.8 million units in the Q2 2025 and marking a YoY growth of 42 percent. The strong demand for Xiaomi Pad 7 and Redmi Pad SE drove the shipment volume. The launch of the Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra, Xiaomi Pad 7S Pro, and the Redmi K Pad further boosted sales.

“The tablet market performance in Q2 2025 highlights that a large portion of consumers are price-sensitive”, said IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers Analyst Anuroopa Nataraj. He also pointed out that promotional discounts and subsidies strongly influence purchasing decisions, and many buyers prefer to wait for attractive deals rather than pay the full retail price. “Even for top vendors like Samsung, it is their aggressive promotions that led to high volume sales in many regions, and for Apple, volume is still driven by their lower-range iPads,” Nataraj added.