Khaberni - Despite the fierce competition in the smartphone market, Apple still maintains sweeping superiority in the tablet market, progressively increasing its lead over its main competitor, "Samsung".
However, the real surprise in the fourth quarter of 2025 came from "Lenovo", which achieved a remarkable leap in sales, making it the undisputed star of the stage.
A strong comeback for the tablet market
The tablet market saw unprecedented growth with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, when millions of users around the world were forced to work and study from home.
But this momentum gradually declined with the return to traditional work patterns, before the market experienced a new resurgence in 2025, with global shipments rising by approximately 10% compared to 2024.
The fourth quarter of last year was the decisive factor in this growth, primarily driven by Apple's strong performance, according to a report published by "phonearena".
Apple comfortably leading
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Apple shipped about 19.6 million iPad devices globally, compared to 16.8 million units in the same period of 2024.
As a result, its market share increased to 44.9%, nearly half the global tablet market.
This performance was helped by the launch of the iPad (11th generation) with the A16 Bionic processor, alongside two iPad Pro versions measuring 11 and 13 inches, equipped with the Apple M5 processor, enhancing the appeal of the company's products across different price ranges.
Notably, Apple's share in the fourth quarter was the highest during 2025, exceeding its results in the first three quarters, at a time when it faced no real threat to its market throne.
Samsung declines and Lenovo rises
In contrast, Samsung's Galaxy Tab devices recorded a worrying decline of 9.2% year-on-year in the fourth quarter, and despite retaining the second place, the gap between it and Apple continues to widen.
However, Lenovo was the most notable story in 2025, after achieving a massive annual growth of 36.2% in the fourth quarter, ranking third globally, ahead of "Huawei", and significantly outpacing "Xiaomi", which only recorded a growth of 10.1% during the same period.
Although Samsung still leads Lenovo by about 6% in market share, the Chinese company's growth pace opens the door to potential changes in the competitive landscape, although this seems difficult with expectations of an overall decline in the tablet market in 2026.
Do we still need tablets?
As the launch of the first foldable iPhone approaches, many question the future of traditional tablets.
However, reality suggests that the iPad and budget tablets will remain attractive options for years, thanks to their affordable prices and diverse uses in education, work, and entertainment.
If foldable phones have not yet displaced Galaxy Tab devices, it is unlikely that tablets will disappear in the near future.
Nevertheless, upcoming shifts may force some companies – notably Samsung – to reconsider their strategies, especially with the rising prices of their flagship devices compared to competitors.
In conclusion, Apple continues to enforce its dominance in the global tablet market, while Lenovo confirms that it is a rising force, and the surprises in the coming years may be greater than we expect.
