Tablets: iPads Are No Longer Top Of The Sales Table

May 14, 2015 by Dave Haynes

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It would be easy to think everybody seems to have an iPad, because an awful lot of people do. But new research shows even more people have cheap Chinese tablets with brand names on them that are wholly unfamiliar.

The research firm Strategy Analytics says sales of white label tablets now out-strip sales for tablets by Apple, Samsung, Lenovo and other familiar brands.

These are brands like Zeepad, Coby and Visual Land that end up in electronics stores at prices waaaaay below what Apple wants, and still gets. Are they equals? No. Does that matter? Not for most basic tasks.

The report says:

Pockets of growth in the Tablet market was found among smaller vendors like Huawei, TCL-Alcatel, and LG while market leaders Apple and Samsung suffered double-digit shipment declines in Q1 2015, pushing the total market 8 percent lower year-on-year. According to two new Strategy Analytics’ Tablet & Touchscreen Strategies (TTS) reports, smaller vendors are picking up steam in this environment, but Apple and Samsung are using 2015 as a rebuilding year for future growth.

 

Q2 2015 Tablet MS and Shipment-IB-HH Pen PR

Quotes:

Peter King, Service Director, Tablet & Touchscreen Strategies, said, “Apple has begun a marketing campaign to revive sales after a five quarter slump. Recent history has shown that thinner and slightly faster SKUs aren’t going to bring iPad back to growth, but their work to address enterprise Tablet usage with IBM on the MobileFirst partnership and some new features rumored for upcoming models will position the company well for long-term growth.”

Eric Smith, Senior Analyst, Tablet & Touchscreen Strategies, added, “2015 is shaping up to be a year of rebuilding for the major Tablet vendors while smaller, more nimble competitors gain ground with innovative new features and cellular-connected Tablets. Phenomenal historic growth has come to an end and a much more normal growth rate is now prevailing.”

 

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