Omdia: Global Tablet Market Sees Marginal Growth at 0.1% in Q1 2026 as Demand Outlook Weakens

Key Terms

chromebooks technical

A Chromebook is a lightweight laptop that runs a web-centered operating system and is designed to do most work through internet-based apps and storage instead of heavy local software. For investors, Chromebooks matter because they represent a distinct, often lower-cost segment of the personal-computer market that can drive sales in education and budget consumer channels, influence hardware makers’ margins, and affect related software, cloud service and peripheral demand — like a simple car that relies on a remote service rather than a full onboard workshop.

sell-in shipments technical

Sell-in shipments are the products a manufacturer or supplier sends to distributors, wholesalers or retailers during a reporting period; they count as sales to the channel but not yet as purchases by end customers. Investors watch sell-in because it shows how much stock is moving into the sales pipeline—like a factory delivering boxes to stores—which can signal future revenue growth but may overstate demand if retailers are simply building up inventory rather than selling to consumers.

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LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The global tablet market remained flat in Q1 2026, with shipments rising just 0.1% year on year to reach 37 million units, according to the latest research from Omdia. While tablet shipments declined sequentially, in line with typical seasonal patterns, regional performance was led by Latin America, followed by the Middle East and Africa. However, this growth was largely driven by inventory build-up rather than underlying end-user demand, pointing to a weaker demand outlook.

Worldwide tablet shipments, 4Q23 - 1Q26

"Heading into 2026, tablets have been relegated in importance for vendors across margins, volume, and overall value," said Himani Mukka, Research Manager at Omdia. "In this supply-constrained environment, consumers and vendors alike are being more deliberate about which devices to prioritize. PC vendors are focusing on notebooks and desktops, while those operating across both smartphones and tablets are gravitating toward smartphones due to their outsized contribution to overall business.”

“Within the tablet space, vendors’ focus in 2026 will be skewed toward the premium segment, where demand has held up better relative to the mass market,” added Mukka. “The volume tier is more challenged: promotional headroom is limited as there is little room to absorb further price increases, and tablets lack a structural refresh catalyst comparable to the Windows 10 end-of-support cycle in the PC market. The outlook for the second half of 2026 is expected to remain cautious, with volume market segments facing the greatest pressure on both shipment volume and value.”

“Within the PC segment, Chromebooks are currently the most impacted category, with volumes declining significantly,” said Kieren Jessop, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “Production indicators point to a weak near-term outlook, and education-related deployments are increasingly being deferred until market conditions stabilize. Ongoing supply constraints are also expected to delay the second phase of Japan’s GIGA School Program 2.0. While the first phase - extended from end-2024 through end-2025 - was completed without major disruption, the current supply environment is likely to introduce delays in the next phase.”

Worldwide tablet shipments (market share and annual growth)
Omdia PC Market Pulse: Q1 2026
Vendor	Q1 2026 shipments	Q1 2026 market share	Q1 2025 shipments	Q1 2025 market share	Annual growth
Apple	14,837	40.1%	13,746	37.2%	7.9%
Samsung	5,796	15.7%	6,633	17.9%	-12.6%
Huawei	3,242	8.8%	2,530	6.8%	28.1%
Lenovo	3,045	8.2%	2,537	6.9%	20.0%
Xiaomi	2,653	7.2%	3,072	8.3%	-13.6%
Others	7,447	20.1%	8,453	22.9%	-11.9%
Total	37,020	100.0%	36,971	100.0%	0.1%
Note: Unit shipments in thousands. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Source: Omdia PC Horizon Service (sell-in shipments), April 2026

The global tablet market delivered a flat performance year on year in Q1 2026. Among leading vendors, Huawei and Lenovo recorded the strongest growth, with shipments increasing 28% and 20% year on year, respectively. Apple retained its top position, shipping 14.8 million units and growing 7.9% year on year, supported by strong performance from the iPad Air. Samsung ranked second, but faced pricing pressures, with shipments declining 12.6% year on year to 5.8 million units. Huawei placed third, shipping 3.2 million units and growing 28% year on year, as it continues to steadily expand its presence across Asia Pacific. Supported by both shipment pull-in and education deployments, Lenovo followed with 3.0 million units, up 20% year on year. Xiaomi rounded out the top five, shipping 2.6 million units, reflecting a 13.6% year-on-year decline in the quarter.

Worldwide chromebook shipments (market share and annual growth)
Omdia PC Market Pulse: Q1 2026
Vendor	Q1 2026 shipments	Q1 2026 market share	Q1 2025 shipments	Q1 2025 market share	Annual growth
Lenovo	1,465	32.5%	1,650	32.4%	-11.2%
HP	1,066	23.7%	1,258	24.7%	-15.3%
Acer	937	20.8%	984	19.3%	-4.9%
Dell	413	9.2%	575	11.3%	-28.3%
Asus	406	9.0%	393	7.7%	3.5%
Others	216	4.8%	230	4.5%	-5.9%
Total	4,503	100.0%	5,090	100.0%	-11.5%
Note: Unit shipments in thousands. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Source: Omdia PC Horizon Service (sell-in shipments), April 2026

All major Chromebook vendors faced challenges in Q1. Lenovo, which ranked first and was a key participant in Japan’s GIGA School Program alongside its subsidiary NEC, saw shipments decline 11.2% year on year to 1.5 million units as the first phase of deployments concluded. HP ranked second, shipping 1.0 million units, down 15.3% year on year. Acer placed third with 937K units, managing a relatively smaller decline supported by stable shipments in North America and increased shipments into APAC. Dell experienced the steepest decline among the top five vendors, with shipments falling 28.3% year-on-year to 413K units. ASUS, another key participant in Japan’s GIGA School Program 2.0, was the only vendor to record growth in Q1, with shipments rising 3.5% year on year to 406K units, accounting for a 9% market share.

ABOUT OMDIA

Omdia, part of TechTarget, Inc. d/b/a Informa TechTarget (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets grounded in real conversations with industry leaders and hundreds of thousands of data points, make our market intelligence our clients’ strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260506153578/en/

Fasiha Khan: Fasiha.khan@omdia.com
Eric Thoo: eric.thoo@omdia.com

Source: Omdia