In a world where personal computers, notebooks and tablets have reigned supreme, a surprising shift is occurring. With each passing quarter, their demand is dwindling, slowly fading into the background. The decline in India’s PC market (desktops, notebooks and tablets), which began during the tumultuous reign of the Covid-19 pandemic, has now taken a firm hold. According to the latest Canalys data, the PC shipments in India in Q1 2023 declined a notable 34.8% YoY, plummeting to a mere 3.95 million units. This decline marks the fourth consecutive quarter of yearly decrease in PC shipments. Adding to the surprise, all top five PC vendors witnessed double-digit YoY drops in their shipments.
Notebooks, once the cherished companions of productivity enthusiasts and on-the-go professionals, reported a huge 41% YoY drop in shipments in Q1 2023. That’s right, only 2.1 million of these sleek, portable powerhouses found their way into the eager hands of consumers.
Meanwhile, their steadfast counterparts, the desktops, suffered a less dramatic but still distressing 7% decline, clocking in at 859,000 units during the first quarter of 2023. And even the sleek and portable tablets weren’t immune to this technological turmoil, experiencing a heart-wrenching 37% YoY decline in shipments, leaving a modest 987,000 units yearning for affection.
Despite the daunting annual setback, India still stands defiantly above the pre-pandemic era, boasting an astounding 47% surge in PC shipments in Q1 2023 compared to the same period in 2019.
Key Highlights: India PC market Q1 2023
- HP maintains its lead in India’s PC market, capturing a 25.6% share in Q1 2023. The company shipped nearly 1.01 million units of PCs and tablets during the first quarter, down 30.2% YoY decline.
- In the tumultuous landscape of India’s PC market, Lenovo suffered the most during the first quarter. With a massive YoY decline of 46.5%, the company shipped only 0.6 million units of PCs and tablets in Q1 2023, compared to 1.12 million units in Q1 2022.
- In a parallel tale of struggle, Dell reported a massive decline of 41.1% YoY in PC shipments in India in Q1 2023, totalling 0.479 million. This is the second-highest annual shipment decline among the top five players.
- Acer and Samsung maintained their positions as India’s fourth and fifth-largest PC vendors, respectively. Acer experienced a 28.7% drop, shipping only 0.45 million units, while Samsung faced a 27.9% decline, shipping 0.31 million units of PCs during the March quarter. These figures highlight the challenging landscape in the market and the need for both companies to adapt their strategies to remain competitive in an ever-evolving industry.
India’s Tablet Market Q1 2023
The tablet market in India embarked on a rollercoaster ride during Q1 2023, plunging below the much-coveted million-unit mark for the first time in eight quarters. Only 0.987 million tablets were shipped in India during Q1 2023, down from 1.57 million in Q1 2022. This marks a notable 37% YoY decline.
Samsung regained its dominance in the market with a commanding 31.6% market share in Q1 2023, bouncing back from temporarily ceding the top spot to Apple during the holiday season. However, Samsung itself reported a 27.9% year-on-year decline in tablet shipments, with 0.312 million units shipped during the quarter. The company’s participation in education tenders this year is expected to bolster future shipment numbers.
Not far behind, Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) confidently held the second spot in India’s tablet market, weathering the storm with a relatively minor 15.8% YoY shipment decline in Q1 2023. Undeterred, the Cupertino giant gracefully shipped 0.17 million units of iPads, ensuring its continued presence in the Indian market.
Lenovo secured the third position in the tablet market but suffered a massive 65% fall in shipments in Q1 2023. Both consumer and commercial demand for Lenovo tablets significantly dropped in India during the first quarter, leading to this steep decline.
Acer ranked fifth in India’s tablet market during Q1 2023, experiencing the highest yearly decline of 67.2%. The demand for Acer tablets dramatically declined in the last one year, with shipments falling from 0.21 million units to just 0.067 million units. This significant drop emphasizes the challenges faced by Acer in the Indian market, prompting the need for strategic adjustments to regain momentum and stay competitive in the tablet industry.
In the tumultuous tablet market of India, vendors must exhibit resilience and innovation to navigate the dynamic landscape. Success hinges on their ability to defy the odds and meet the evolving demands of consumers. Only those who dare to embrace the challenge and adapt to the ever-changing tech battleground will emerge victorious.
