Global tablet shipments drop 8% in 2015

The global tablet market suffered its “worst year-on-year performance ever” in 2015 with shipments falling 8% to 224.3 million units for the full year, according to Strategy Analytics.

The research firm said that shipments fell 11% to 69.9 million units during the fourth quarter, as the launch of Apple’s iPad Pro failing to meet expectations in the final three months of the year.

“While we see real long-term potential for iPad Pro in the enterprise and verticals, there was not enough demand to move the needle in Q4,” said Strategy Analytics research director, tablet and touchscreen strategies, Peter King.

“Apple suffered big setbacks this year as a lack of innovation during the last several years caught up to iPad sales. Instead, Apple has focused on its MacBooks, iPhone 6/6+, and Apple Watch releases.”

Strategy Analytics said that 2-in-1 detachable tablets and Windows tablet were “bright spots” in the market as “computing needs continue to trend more and more mobile”.