Tablet prices are rising and cheap options are disappearing — here's why
Global tablet shipments dropped 10% year-over-year to 36 million units in Q2 2026, according to the Omdia Q2 2026 tablet report — the first time in recent memory that the second quarter, traditionally lifted by back-to-school buying, failed to post a seasonal uptick. Memory chips diverted to AI data centers are squeezing supply across consumer electronics, and tablets are taking a direct hit.
The crunch
Manufacturers are rationing components, and the economics push them toward high-margin flagship devices over affordable ones. Apple held 38% market share — shipping roughly 13.5 million iPads — but still fell 8% from a year ago. The entry-level iPad carried most of that volume; the Air and mini underperformed. Samsung dropped 13%, shipping around 6 million units, as it too pivoted toward pricier Galaxy Tab models to protect margins.
Lenovo was the one outlier in the top five, posting 27% growth. That number is misleading on its own: Android Authority—Lenovo price increases detail how the company pushed $30–70 price hikes onto its Idea Tab and Yoga Tab lines between April and June, and distributors stocked up ahead of those increases. The Idea Tab jumped from $229.99 to $289.99; the Yoga Tab from $549.99 to $619.99. Samsung followed a similar playbook, raising Galaxy Tab prices by $50–100. Xiaomi held fourth place at 2.8 million units (-7%), while Huawei rounded out the top five at 2.7 million (-16%).
Global tablet shipments in Q2 2026 fell to 36 million units — the worst second-quarter performance in recent years.
What this means for buyers
If you're shopping for a tablet on a tight budget — say, under $300 — inventory at US retailers is already thinning out through the back half of 2026. The affordable end of the market is shrinking by design, not accident. Vendors are steering resources toward devices where margins are healthier.
The broader outlook isn't encouraging. The memory shortage is expected to persist well into 2027 per Samsung's own guidance, and Omdia forecasts further market contraction through H2 2026. Prices are more likely to keep climbing than to fall back. If you're considering a tablet purchase, waiting for a sale makes more sense than waiting for the market to correct itself.