Last year, Apple made waves in the tech world with the launch of its OLED iPad Pro, showcasing a revolutionary design that’s thinner than any previous model. Despite the fierce competition, Apple continues to dominate the global tablet market, as seen in the last quarter of last year. Even with the elegant design and vibrant OLED display of the M4 iPad Pro, it surprisingly didn’t account for the 15 percent growth in Apple’s tablet segment.
Industry expert Mark Gurman pointed out that this growth is largely attributed to the popularity of the iPad Air and the more affordable iPad models. A recent report by Canalys confirmed that Apple’s market share in the global tablet arena rose to an impressive 42.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. The tech giant shipped nearly 16.9 million iPads in that period, a noticeable increase from 14.8 million units in the previous year’s same quarter.
Samsung remains Apple’s closest competitor but still falls significantly behind with 7 million units and only 17 percent of the market share in Q4 2024. Meanwhile, Lenovo, Huawei, and Xiaomi are even further back, unable to match Apple’s shipment volume or influence. Throughout 2024, Apple shipped an astounding 57 million iPads, seizing 38.6 percent of the market share, more than doubling Samsung’s 27.8 million devices.
This substantial market presence allows Apple to leverage its expansive user base, enhancing its revenue through various services beyond hardware sales. Although the M4 iPad Pro didn’t directly impact the 15 percent growth, the introduction of such an advanced device likely contributed to the yearly uptick in sales. Speculation suggests that it bolstered Apple’s overall market influence.
Excitingly, Apple is already gearing up for its next move, having commenced mass production of its new M5 chips. This development hints at the potential release of an upgraded OLED iPad Pro in the near future, possibly overcoming earlier anticipated delays. Do you think the innovative M4 iPad Pro played a significant role in boosting Apple’s global shipments?
