- China's tablet shipments fell 4.8% year-on-year in the first quarter, dragged down by rising component costs and fading subsidies.
- Huawei maintained its market lead and Apple gained share, as industry competition shifts from price wars to AI and ecosystem experiences.
Total tablet shipments in China dropped 4.8% year-on-year to 8.11 million units in the first quarter of 2026, marking the market's entry into a period of structural adjustment, according to data released Tuesday by market research firm IDC.
The short-term pressure on these figures reflects the dual challenges of continuously rising memory costs and tightening state subsidy policies in China.
Shipments in the consumer tablet market fell 5.6% year-on-year in the first quarter, triggered by intensifying terminal costs and the end of the previous replacement cycle, according to IDC.
In contrast, the commercial tablet market recorded a 7.4% year-on-year growth in shipments. This was largely driven by advance stocking as enterprises sought to hedge against future cost increases.
Climbing costs have forced manufacturers to scale back promotional offers to varying degrees, leading to a significant contraction in the market share of the sub-$200 price segment, IDC said.
As retail prices rise in tandem across the industry, the structure of China's tablet market is accelerating its shift toward the mid-to-high-end segments.
Huawei maintained the top spot with a 33.2% market share in the first quarter, leveraging its comprehensive product matrix and ecosystem advantages.
Apple, meanwhile, defied the downward trend to increase its market share to 23.7%, driven by a steady strategy of upgrading core specifications while maintaining original prices.
Xiaomi reclaimed the third position in the domestic market with a 10.6% share, backed by its mature channel network and well-rounded product lineup.
Honor and Lenovo solidified their market positions amid fierce competition by optimizing cost structures and deepening their focus on large commercial clients, respectively, IDC said.
The Chinese tablet market is expected to maintain a baseline of continued pressure on shipment volumes while sales value is projected to grow, with the importance of niche segments becoming increasingly prominent, according to IDC.
The deployment of AI (artificial intelligence) technologies and cross-device ecosystem integration are replacing pure price wars as the key variables for the next phase of market competition.
