Tablets Thriving as Low-Cost Productivity Tools During Pandemic, Says SA

A yearlong strategy to transform tablets into low-cost productivity tools is paying dividends during the COVID-19 pandemic, as consumers and educational institutions bought a record number of tablets during the back-to-school season, said Strategy Analytics Friday. Tablets are serving as “credible mobile computing alternatives to notebooks, even as both segments are experiencing record levels of demand in 2020,” said the research firm. Apple and Samsung led demand in a BTS season that grew 33% to a seven-year high, said SA. Apple shipped 15.1 million units in Q3, up from 10.1 million in Q3 2019; Samsung unit shipments grew 87% to 9.4 million units. Amazon was fourth, behind Huawei, with 4.9 million shipments, an 8% decline, due to the delay of Prime Day to October. Tablets are “being rightly recognized for the productivity power they provide at a lower price point than most notebooks,” while serving needs for entertainment and casual use, said analyst Eric Smith. SA sees the tablet trend continuing long-term.