Ipad Gains Market Share In Middle East And Africa But Still Fell To Third Place

The iPad increased Apple’s share of the tablet market in the Middle East and Africa, but still fell from second to third place in the region …

IDC figures show Apple increasing its market share from 9.6% in the first quarter of 2017 to 10.3% in the same quarter this year. It came at a time when the tablet segment as a whole is struggling.

However, strong growth by Lenovo saw Apple slip from second to third place, with Samsung remaining the market leader.

IDC said that the future for what it terms the personal computing devices (PCD) market is likely to be tough, thanks to a number of political factors.

Competition in the market also looks set to increase, with Microsoft reportedly planning cheaper Surface tablets to compete with Apple’s $329 iPad. However, the iPad Pro is expected to get Face ID and the iPhone X’s notch design later this year, increasing appeal in the premium tablet market.

In the longer term, IDC expects the MEA PCD market to continue shrinking in shipment terms, with slate tablets declining the most rapidly of all the various PCD products.

Photo: Quartz