According to the latest Canalys data, worldwide tablet shipments increased by 18% year on year in the second quarter of 2024, reaching 35.9 million units. At the same time, Chromebook shipments grew by 4%, reaching 6.0 million units, as the education market returned to typical seasonal spending patterns.

‘The tablet industry has had a positive first half of 2024, and the rest of the year should bring further relief after a difficult 2023’, said Canalys analyst Kieren Jessop. ‘New product launches have coincided with an uptick in cyclical refresh demand following the surge in tablet sales that occurred during the pandemic. Additional innovation in areas such as display technology and integrated AI functionality are set to draw further consumer interest, particularly for premium tablets.’

Chromebook shipments meanwhile experienced the typical seasonal surge in the second quarter, with 4% growth and just over six million devices shipped. Sales were bolstered by regional education funding, such as the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) in the US, which required spending to conclude in Q2 2024. Discounting in the retail channel also helped support consumer demand for Chromebooks, particularly for bring-your-own-device use in education. While shipment numbers are expected to drop sequentially in Q3, the overall trend for the category remains positive for Chromebooks, due to their foothold in education space and the increased integration of on-device AI capabilities.