Apple recently unveiled the M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro series in May, showcasing some impressive hardware advancements, notably in the chipsets and OLED displays. Despite these innovations, Apple’s efforts weren’t enough to stall Huawei’s growing dominance in China. A new analysis indicates that Huawei achieved the highest shipment numbers in the second quarter of 2024, marking the biggest annual growth among tablet manufacturers for this period.
Apple experienced a decline in annual growth, as new figures reveal. On the other hand, Huawei secured a 66 percent increase for Q2 2024. Canalys reports that Huawei shipped 2.05 million tablets, claiming a 26 percent market share and showcasing a striking 66 percent annual growth compared to the same quarter last year when it shipped 1.23 million units and held a 19 percent market share. In contrast, Apple, which led the market in Q2 2023 with a 36 percent share, saw its dominance wane, shipping 2.01 million units in Q2 2024 and matching Huawei’s 26 percent market share, reflecting a decline to a negative 14 percent annual growth.
This trend suggests that despite the advanced features of the M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air, consumer preference in China leans heavily towards local brands, thereby impacting Apple’s position. China’s vast smartphone market not only signifies tremendous volume but also carries substantial weight for tablet shipments, making the region pivotal for Apple’s strategy.
In third place, Xiaomi, another Chinese contender, edged up by shipping more units than the 745,000 recorded in Q2 2023 but still fell short of the one million mark. Xiaomi now holds a 12 percent market share. Honor and Lenovo follow in fourth and fifth places, respectively. Globally, Apple’s tablet shipments saw an 18.2 percent boost thanks to their new releases, yet the company faces significant challenges in making a mark in the Chinese market. It seems that Apple might have to pivot and direct its efforts towards other regions to compensate for the lag in China.
