Tablet shipments see a modest decline of 5% in the second quarter of 2019

The worldwide tablet market declined 5.0% year over year during the second quarter of 2019 (2Q19) as global shipments fell to 32.2 million units, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker.

Apple led the market and managed to increase its share compared to last year as the iPad maker gained 4 percentage points year over year. The launch of the detachable iPad Air in 2Q18 helped Apple to double its detachable tablet shipments. Meanwhile, slate iPads declined 7.5% year over year as the new iPads were unable to maintain the same momentum of upgrades as those launched in 2018.

Samsung continued to hold the second position and managed to grow its share though this was simply because the market declined at a faster pace than Samsung's own tablet shipments. Although the company is the last bastion of premium Android tablets, the majority of its shipments were comprised of the lower-end E and A series.

Huawei managed to hold the third position and maintain its share despite the political headwinds. However, given the rising tensions between the U.S. and China, Huawei's future as a mainstay of the tablet market remains uncertain.

Amazon.com shipments have always been very seasonal and this quarter was no different. The company substantially increased its shipments in 2Q19 as it geared up for Prime Day in July. Its refreshed models also helped provide an uplift for the retailer.

Lenovo rounded out the top 5 with 5.8% share and a 6.9% year-over-year decline. Despite the unfavorable figures, Lenovo managed to grow fairly well in mature markets such as the United States, Western Europe, and Japan.