According to ABI Research, it appears that Apple tablet sales dropped 15% from 2013 to 2014, although Apple was still the market leader in the slate area. In the meantime Apple did gain 9% market volume quarter on quarter. Meanwhile, Samsung registered an impressive 7% unit growth, because of the excellent Galaxy Tab S models.
ABI Research predicts a growth of shipments in the range of 10% from 2015 to 2020. Apple, Samsung and Lenovo are now the 3 big tablet brands, controlling 72% of the market last year, of course only in the branded tablet area. The white box slates have a much larger share, but they’re not covered in the same product area. 2015 is an interesting year, with the iPad Pro coming and Windows 10 also ready to arrive.
Meanwhile, Lenovo keeps launching tablets, trying to achieve in the tablet biz what they did in the PC and laptop segment. Samsung must follow the great Tab S units with more devices of the same quality and other companies like HTC or ASUS are trying to squeeze into niches, with the latter usually delivering excellent midrange tablets.
