IPad sales up 14%: Apple consolidates dominant position in tablet market

Published: 2025-05-15 04:01:18 ET AAPL

Published on 05/15/2025 at 04:01

In the first quarter of 2025, global iPad sales increased 14 percent compared to the same period last year. This increases Apple's lead over competitors and solidifies its leading position in the global tablet market. Apple now has more than twice as much market share as the number two.

According to figures from market research firm Canalys, Apple shipped 13.7 million iPads in the first quarter of this year, up from just over 12 million in the same period a year earlier. As a result, Apple's market share grew from 35.5 percent to 37.3 percent.

At rival Samsung, demand fell, bringing its market share down to 18 percent. This means that Apple now literally has twice the market share of its nearest competitor. No other manufacturer managed to break the 10 percent barrier.

The renewed demand for tablets comes mostly from consumers, not businesses. During the 2020 corona pandemic, many people bought an iPad or other tablet for home use. Now, five years later, the time has come for many of these devices to be replaced.

While demand is expected to remain high through the rest of 2025, growth is likely to level off starting in 2026. Due to a longer lifespan of devices as well as a shift in spending priorities, tablets are less likely to be replaced than before.