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

Business

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

Business

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

2026-05-07 08:01 Last Updated At:08:11

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 6, 2026--

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.

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"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.”

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.

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.

Worldwide Chromebook shipments & forecasts, 1Q23 – 4Q26

Worldwide Chromebook shipments & forecasts, 1Q23 – 4Q26

Worldwide tablet shipments, 4Q23 - 1Q26

Worldwide tablet shipments, 4Q23 - 1Q26

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam says he would like to have Giannis Antetokounmpo's future sorted out before next month’s NBA draft.

Haslam spoke Wednesday alongside general manager Jon Horst at a news conference introducing Taylor Jenkins as the Bucks’ coach. Antetokounmpo has spent his entire 13-year career with the Bucks, but it's possible he could leave Milwaukee after a frustrating, injury-marred season.

“I just think before the draft is a natural time,” Haslam said. “Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we’ve got to have a lot of assets. That’s Jon’s job to do. And if he’s here, then you build the team differently.”

Antetokounmpo has said repeatedly that he likes playing in Milwaukee but wants to play for a franchise committed to competing for championships. The Bucks went 32-50 this season to snap a string of nine straight playoff appearances.

The Bucks can offer Antetokounmpo a four-year, $275 million contract extension in October. If Antetokounmpo doesn’t sign, he could become a free agent after next season.

Haslam, also a co-owner of the NFL's Cleveland Browns, would like the matter settled long before October. He spoke Wednesday as though the decision rests with the Bucks as much as it does with Antetokounmpo.

“We never had any problem communicating directly with Giannis — at all — and always knew where he stood,” Haslam said. “And I think he always knew where we stood. We’ve had those kind of conversations since the season was over. ... So sometime over the next six or seven weeks, we’ll decide whether Giannis is going to sign a max contract and stay with us, or he’s going to play somewhere else. And Jon and Taylor, along with (co-owner) Wes (Edens) and myself will make that call, and we understand the gravity of that call.”

The Bucks will have a lottery pick this year either in their own spot or in New Orleans’ spot, whichever is less favorable. The draft lottery is Sunday.

Antetokounmpo, 31, led the Bucks their first title in half a century in 2021, and he owns virtually all the franchise’s major career records. He won the first of his two straight MVP awards in 2018-19, when Jenkins was an assistant on Mike Budenholzer’s staff.

Horst noted the Bucks have sought input from Antetokounmpo and other players during previous coaching searches but that they didn’t do that this time. Jenkins said he has communicated with Antetokounmpo since he took the job.

“He’s expressed tremendous excitement for me and my family,” Jenkins said. “Obviously, even only being here for one season, he and I established a really good relationship and maintained that respect, even from a distance.”

The 41-year-old Jenkins coached the Grizzlies from 2019-25 and went 250-214, leading them to three straight playoff appearances from 2021-23. Memphis got beyond the first round under Jenkins just once, in 2022, when the second-seeded Grizzlies beat Minnesota before losing to Golden State in the Western Conference semifinals.

Memphis was decimated by injuries in 2023-24 and went 27-55. The Grizzlies fired Jenkins with nine games left in the 2024-25 season and were swept by eventual champion Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoffs.

Jenkins’ success with Memphis made him an attractive head coaching candidate, and he quickly focused on a possible return to Milwaukee rather than waiting to find out if any playoff teams made coaching changes.

He understood it was possible he wouldn't be coaching Antetokounmpo.

“When this opportunity became available, I was like, I know the people,” Jenkins said. “I know what they stand for. I know what their standards are going to be on a day-to-day basis.”

Jenkins will become the Bucks' fourth coach in five seasons, not counting Joe Prunty’s three-game interim stint in February 2024.

Budenholzer, who led Milwaukee to the 2021 title, was fired after a 2023 playoff loss to Miami. Adrian Griffin lasted barely half a season, going 30-13 before he was fired. Doc Rivers took over and stepped down after this season with a 97-103 record.

The Bucks were one of the league’s most disappointing teams this season as injuries limited Antetokounmpo to a career-low 36 games.

“Giannis has brought Milwaukee its second championship and the first in 50 years,” Haslam said. “He’s a phenomenal player. He’s a phenomenal person. He’s arguably one of the best basketball players in the world and we will do what’s best for Giannis and what’s best for the organization. We don’t know whether Giannis will stay with us or not, but we’ll work through that with Giannis in the coming weeks.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Milwaukee Bucks' new head coach Taylor Jenkins, right, speaks with speaks with general manager Jon Horst after an NBA basketball news conference, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

Milwaukee Bucks' new head coach Taylor Jenkins, right, speaks with speaks with general manager Jon Horst after an NBA basketball news conference, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

Milwaukee Bucks' new head coach Taylor Jenkins, third from left, poses with Bucks players, from left, Pete Nance, Cormac Ryan, Myles Turner, AJ Green and Bobby Portis after an NBA basketball news conference, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

Milwaukee Bucks' new head coach Taylor Jenkins, third from left, poses with Bucks players, from left, Pete Nance, Cormac Ryan, Myles Turner, AJ Green and Bobby Portis after an NBA basketball news conference, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

Milwaukee Bucks' new head coach Taylor Jenkins poses after an NBA basketball news conference, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

Milwaukee Bucks' new head coach Taylor Jenkins poses after an NBA basketball news conference, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

Milwaukee Bucks' new head coach Taylor Jenkins, center, poses with general manager Jon Horst, left, and co-owner Jimmy Haslam after an NBA basketball news conference, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

Milwaukee Bucks' new head coach Taylor Jenkins, center, poses with general manager Jon Horst, left, and co-owner Jimmy Haslam after an NBA basketball news conference, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

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