Apple enjoyed considerable gains in the Indian tablet market last year, growing its market share and increasing shipments by 13% year-on-year, according to data from IDC.
For the year, Apple replaced the local Indian maker iBall to become the third-largest shipper of tablets in the country. Compared to 2019, Apple saw its shipments of the iPad increase by 13%, but still "struggled with stock availability throughout the year."
Apple fell short compared to its closest rivals, however. Lenovo and Samsung, the top two manufacturers for tablets in India, saw their shipments grow by more than 150% each compared to 2019. A significant contributing factor is that both companies offer cheaper, low-end tablets compared to Apple's iPad line.
2020 saw millions of students work from home, and strong iPad and other tablet sales have largely reflected the new learn-from-home reality. Apple released a new low-end iPad during the year, alongside a redesigned iPad Air. The launch of the new iPad models and Apple's online store in India likely played roles in Apple's market share increase.
