Institution: Global tablet PC shipments are expected to decline by 10% in the second quarter of 2026.

According to the latest research by Omdia, the global tablet market will enter a downward cycle in the second quarter of 2026, with shipments expected to decline by 10% year-on-year to 36 million units. Notably, this marks the first time in recent years that tablet shipments in the second quarter have broken the seasonal trend of quarter-on-quarter increases driven by back-to-school demand. Omdia research manager Himani Mukka stated, Looking ahead, in the current environment where component supply is constrained, manufacturers are unlikely to prioritize the development of tablet categories widely. Instead, they will concentrate their limited resources on flagship and high-end models, further shifting their product portfolios towards premium devices. In addition to hardware, tablet manufacturers will increasingly rely on services, optimized AI strategies and use cases, as well as brand new marketing strategies to drive revenue growth and achieve product differentiation. Omdia anticipates that tablet sales will continue to decline for the remainder of 2026, reflecting both the limited supply of low-priced tablets and the fact that consumers are delaying purchasing decisions due to rising prices, further suppressing market demand.