iPad shipments grew 14% year-on-year in the first quarter of the year, further increasing Apple’s global dominance of the tablet market. Apple now has more than twice the market share of its nearest competitor. The COVID-19 pandemic is now five years behind us, but is credited with being one of the main drivers for this year’s boost in demand for iPads … Canalys estimates that Apple shipped 13.7M iPads in the first quarter of this year, up from just over 12M in the same quarter this year. While some other brands also enjoyed growth, it was enough to see Apple pull even further ahead in the global tablet market, boosting its market share from 35.5% to 37.3%. Second-placed Samsung experienced a fall in demand, with its own market share dropping to 18%, meaning Apple has literally twice the market share of its nearest competitor. No other tablet brand hit double digits. Pandemic refreshes are key Most of the demand for new tablets has come from consumers rather than businesses. The pandemic of course saw a big surge in purchasing of consumer electronics products like tablets. Lockdowns meant a need for people to entertain themselves at home, and since there wasn’t much we could spend our money on outside the home, that also boosted the amount of discretionary income available for shiny new toys. The result was that a lot of people bought new iPads in 2020 – and since five years is a common refresh period, this is the year when many are upgrading to new models. The primary driver of US tablet shipments was demand from a consumer refresh of pandemic-era tablets that are now hitting four to five years in their lifecycle, further supported by new product introductions. Throughout 2025, some consumers will refresh these aging devices for newer silicon. Tablet demand may slow next year While Canalys expects further upgrade demand this year, it expects spending to slow from next year. We expect average lifespans to extend, and tablets will experience a relegation in spending priority as discretionary income is squeezed in other categories. The tablet market will see slower growth. However, Apple looks set to fare best in a more constrained market, with the fim adding that “premium demand is expected to remain robust.” Highlighted accessories Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel