iPad sales fall as consumers hold on to existing devices for longer

Apple shipped 16.4 million tablets in Q1 2014 worldwide – three million fewer units than the 19.5 million it shipped in the same period last year.

Despite the drop, Apple maintained its lead in the worldwide tablet plus 2-in-1 market, according to IDC, with its share of the tablet market slipping to 32.5 per cent down from 33.2 per cent last year. 

Samsung once again grew its worldwide share, increasing from 17.2 per cent last quarter to 22.3 per cent this quarter. Rounding out the top five were ASUS (five per cent), Lenovo (4.1 per cent), and Amazon (1.9 per cent). Other vendors in total had a 34.2 per cent share of the market.

Overall, worldwide tablet plus 2-in-1 shipments dipped to 50.4 million units in Q1 2014. This represents a sequential decline of 35.7 per cent from the holiday quarter and 3.9 per cent growth over the same period a year ago. 

"The rise of large-screen phones and consumers who are holding on to their existing tablets for ever longer periods of time were both contributing factors to a weaker-than-anticipated quarter for tablets and 2-in-1s," said Tom Mainelli, IDC Program Vice President, Devices and Displays.

"In addition, commercial growth has not been robust enough to offset the slowing of consumer shipments."

Jitesh Ubrani, Research Analyst, Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, added: "With roughly two-thirds share, Android continues to dominate the market.

"And although its share of the market remains small, Windows devices continue to gain traction thanks to sleeper hits like the Asus T100, whose low cost and 2-in-1 form factor appeal to those looking for something that’s ‘good enough."