PC and Tablet Shipments Surge Amidst Pandemic Shifts

Recent data released by Canalys indicates sustained expansion in the PC market throughout 2020 and 2021. The widespread changes in work and learning environments, necessitated by the pandemic, have been a key catalyst for this trend.

PC shipments have demonstrated consistent growth over the past four consecutive quarters. Overall, the combined figures for PCs and tablets experienced a substantial 53% increase compared to the previous year.

Chromebooks Lead the Growth

According to Canalys’ analysis, Chromebooks were the primary driver of this growth. Shipments within this category saw a remarkable 275% year-over-year increase in the first quarter, reaching a total of 12 million units.

HP captured a significant portion of the Chromebook market, holding 36.4% of the total share, a considerable rise from 18.6% in the prior year. Lenovo, Acer, Samsung, and Dell completed the top five vendors.

Education Sector Fuels Demand

The continued expansion of the Chromebook category is largely attributed to the education sector. This sector has historically been the primary area of adoption for devices that struggled to gain broader consumer acceptance.

With the widespread shift to virtual learning environments, demand from educational institutions has remained exceptionally strong. Furthermore, this demand is now extending beyond the educational realm.

“Chromebooks have firmly established themselves as a mainstream computing solution,” stated Brian Lynch of Canalys. “While education remains the largest segment for shipments, their appeal to general consumers and traditional business users has reached unprecedented levels in the last year.”

Tablet Sales Rebound

Tablets also experienced a positive quarter, following a period of relatively stagnant sales. Similar to Chromebooks, the education sector is a significant contributor to this resurgence, alongside increased overall usage.

Apple currently leads the tablet market with a 38.2% share, followed by Samsung and Lenovo as the top three vendors. Considering PCs and tablets collectively, Lenovo holds the leading position, with Apple and HP in second and third place, respectively.