5G tablet shipments in India grew 61% QoQ in Q3 22: CMR report

After smartphones, demand for 5G tablets is picking up in India. Shipment of 5G tablets grew 61% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) in the three months ending September, according to CyberMedia Research’s (CMR) new report, published Monday. In comparison, the overall tablet market grew 22% QoQ, while the 4G tablet market grew 9% QoQ. 

“Shipments of 5G tablets continued to gain strength in Q3 2022. This is driven by the 5G auctions and the beginning of the 5G era. The growth in 5G tablets is consistent with the trends seen in the 5G smartphone market,” said Menka Kumari, Analyst-Industry Intelligence Group at CMR.

The report further shows that WiFi-only tablets are still very popular as their shipments grew 41% QoQ. The premium segment (above Rs 20,000) also grew 44% QoQ during the September quarter. 

In terms of market share, Samsung led with 28% of the total tablet shipments, growing 83% QoQ. Samsung Tab A8 (Wi-Fi + 4G) and Tab A7 Lite (Wi-Fi + 4G) were the key growth drivers for the South Korean company. Lenovo with a 26% market share was the second leading tablet vendor in India. It grew 21% QoQ on the back of its commercial business and retail presence, as per CMR. 

Apple with a 19% market share was the third leading tablet brand in India. The iPad shipments grew 26% QoQ with iPad Air 2022 (Wi-Fi) accounting for 57% of the overall iPad shipments for the US company. 

Further, analysts at CMR pointed out that the annual tablet shipments in 2022 will grow at a healthy 10-15%. The recently concluded festive season sales and enterprise demand for devices to support hybrid work are some of the key drivers for growth in the tablet market during the year. 

Future demand is expected to be driven by 5G tablets. CMR’s Kumari noted that going forward, 5G-capable tablets will underline the tablet market growth, especially in the education, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors.