The introduction of Apple’s M4 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models could improve the company’s OLED tablet sales significantly, allowing it to rebound from its recent decline and cement itself as the number one vendor in this segment. Apple reportedly accounted for 72 percent of the OLED tablet-size-panel market in Q2, crushing second- and third-place competitors Huawei and Samsung with respective shares.
Apple Leading the OLED Tablet Market
According to Display Supply Chain Consultants La Jolla, Omdia reported that Apple led the OLED tablet market in 2Q2020 by a significant margin. The first quarter results also marked record-high quarterly shipments of OLED tablets at 4.11 million units, representing a whopping 356% YoY increase in the same period last year as mentioned by IHS Markit’s research. This surge underscores the growing popularity of OLED technology in tablets, with Apple leading the charge.
In Q2 of this year, the 13-inch was followed closely by its 11-inch variant, landing Apple with the highest shipment volume among newly launched iPad Pro models. The 13.2-inch Huawei MatePad Pro came in third with a scant 5 percent market share. As a matter of speculation, whether Apple could have taken that competition by storm and driven its market share even higher with an affordable OLED tech option is up in the air. That device is not expected to come until 2026 when Apple will supposedly be switching over the iPad Air series entirely to OLED tech.
Apple also reported a 24 percent increase in iPad revenue over the previous year, on its Q3 2024 earnings call (which would have been the highest growth in any of Apple’s product categories during that time).
Despite this success, Display Supply Chain Consultants forecasts a slight dip in Q3 2024, with an estimated 5 percent decline in shipments compared to Q2, although this still represents a 169 percent year-over-year increase to 3.9 million units. While the M4 iPad Pro models are likely to continue driving strong sales, Apple’s future success in the tablet market may depend on expanding OLED technology to more affordable models, broadening its appeal.
FAQs
What market share did Apple hold in the OLED tablet sector for Q2 2024?
Apple held a 72 percent market share in the OLED tablet sector for Q2 2024.
How did the launch of the M4 iPad Pro models impact Apple’s tablet sales?
The launch of the M4 iPad Pro models significantly boosted Apple’s tablet sales, helping to reverse its recent slump.
