Global tablet shipments reached 46 million units during the fourth quarter of 2021, posting a decline for the second time since the pandemic began in 2020, according to IDC beancounters.
Shipments dropped 11.9 percent year on year as demand slowed. For the full year 2021, total tablet shipments were up 3.2 percent, reaching 168.8 million units, the market’s highest level since 2016.
Chromebook shipments plummeted 63.6 percent year on year in fourth quarter, but managed to grow 13.5 per cent for the full year.
IDC Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers senior research analyst, Anuroopa Nataraj said that 2021 was a great year for tablets but shipments have begun to decelerate as the market has moved past peak demand.
“However, shipments in the near future will remain above pre-pandemic levels as virtual learning, remote work, and media consumption remain priorities for users.”
IDC research manager, Jitesh Ubrani, said that initial demand for Chromebooks has been satiated in primary markets like the US and Europe, leading to a slowdown in overall shipments.
“However, Chromebook demand in emerging markets has seen continued growth in the past year”, said Ubrani.
“Supply has also been unusually tight for Chromebooks as component shortages have led vendors to prioritise Windows machines due to their higher price tags, further suppressing Chromebook shipments on a global scale.”
The top three tablet vendors, Apple, Samsung and Lenovo, all saw year on year declines in Q4.
Apple’s shipments dipped 8.6 percent to 17.5 million units, while Samsung and Lenovo shipments fell 21.6 percent and 25.4 percent respectively.
