Apple shipped 27.5% fewer iPads in the third quarter, yet still sold more tablets than anyone, as the whole market hit its lowest level in nearly three years.
Tablet sales had a rough quarter, and Apple was not spared. According to a new report from research firm Omdia, Apple's iPad shipments fell 27.5% in the third quarter of 2026 compared with a year earlier. Apple still held the top spot, with 36% of all tablets shipped worldwide.
Apple shipped 11.5 million iPads in the quarter. Its share of the market slipped by 2.2 percentage points. Shipments count devices sent out to stores and sellers, which is a close guide to demand but not the same as units bought by shoppers.
The whole market shrank too. Global tablet shipments fell 23%, from 41.8 million to 32.2 million units. Omdia said that is the lowest level in nearly three years.
Behind Apple, Samsung held second place with 16.9% of the market. Lenovo followed with 12.7%, Xiaomi with 7.3% and Huawei with 5.7%. Only one of those top five brands grew.
Omdia Research Manager Himani Mukka pointed to supply constraints. She said they are "limiting vendors' ability to deliver meaningful specification upgrades, leaving fewer compelling differences between new models and their predecessors." In plain terms, new tablets are not much better than last year's.
She added that, as a result, consumers are increasingly expected to delay purchases until more substantial improvements become available.
If your current tablet still works well for what you use it for, there is little reason to rush. The report suggests new models offer few real upgrades right now, and many buyers appear to be waiting. The report does not say when bigger improvements might arrive.
For a business that buys tablets for staff or customers, the same logic applies. Replacing devices only when they stop doing the job is a reasonable approach while the gap between old and new models stays small.
If your tablet still does the job, you can likely wait, since new models offer few real upgrades right now.
A browser that Android Authority calls the best on Android is not in the Play Store, but it can still be installed with a few extra steps.
Read more: A top Android browser is not in the Play Store, but you can still install itA Tom's Guide poll found only 5 of 200 readers shop for AI in earbuds and headphones. Sound quality won easily, so check AI claims before you pay extra.
Read more: Few shoppers want AI in headphones, but brands keep adding itA leaker says the iPhone 20 could fold the Action Button into Camera Control, leaving one button for both jobs. It is an early, unverified rumor.
Read more: Next year's iPhone may merge its two extra buttons into one
