sandalwood

Abstract: In Q1 2025, the sales and revenue of tablets in China's e-commerce market grew by 14% and 17% year-on-year, respectively, with the 2000–4000 RMB price segment’s share rising to 52%, becoming the fastest-growing price sub-segment. The trend of larger screens and performance upgrades in tablets is evident, with products larger than 10.5 inches accounting for 88% of the market. Among them, the 11.5–12.4-inch segment saw a significant 66% year-on-year growth in sales in Q1 2025. At the same time, high-spec small screens and affordable large screens are opening up new market opportunities.

In terms of brand competition, Apple remains dominant in the high-end market, while Huawei and Xiaomi lead the mid-to-high price segments. Honor and Lenovo are solidifying their position in the 1000 RMB range, while educational tablets from brands like Zuoyebang, Xueersi, XiaoYuan, and iFlytek are gaining traction through differentiated offerings in niche markets. Overall, the tablet market is rapidly evolving towards a "large screen + mid-to-high-end" trend, with technological innovation and effective positioning driving the competitive landscape in the next stage.

Tablet Market Shows Steady Growth, 2000-4000 RMB Segment Sees Significant Expansion

According to Sandalwood's China e-commerce data, the tablet market continues to show a steady upward trend. In Q1 2025, tablet sales reached 4.74 million units, a 14% year-on-year increase, with a sales revenue of 13.88 billion RMB, growing by 17% compared to the previous year.

The average market price remains around 3000 RMB with slight fluctuations. In terms of price segment distribution, the market share of the 2000-4000 RMB price range has significantly increased, rising from 41% in Q1 2024 to 52% in Q1 2025, reflecting the continued growth in consumer demand for mid-range tablets.

The market for tablets priced above 4000 RMB remains relatively stable, with the segment above 8000 RMB showing a 34% year-on-year growth, indicating potential growth in the high-end market. Increasing consumer demands for better performance are driving the tablet market towards mid-to-high-end products in the future. In contrast, the market share of the 0-2000 RMB price range has declined, with the 0-1000 RMB segment dropping from 14% in Q1 2024 to 10% in Q1 2025. The 1000-2000 RMB price range has also seen a slight decrease in market share, but it still holds a significant portion.

Under the Trend of Larger Screens, Small High-Spec Models and Affordable Large Screens Are Creating New Opportunities

According to the market share by size, the top five sizes include 11 inches, which accounts for 26.4%, followed by 11.5 inches, 12 inches, 10.9 inches, and 10.1 inches, with market shares of 15.5%, 11.3%, 8.6%, and 7.3%, respectively.

An analysis of tablet sizes based on size concentration reveals a clear trend towards larger screens. Tablets over 10.5 inches increased from 74% of the market in Q1 2024 to 88% in Q1 2025.

Among these, the 10.5-11.4 inch segment has seen steady growth, maintaining a long-term market share of nearly 40%, making it the mainstream choice. The 11.5-12.4 inch segment's market share grew from 25% in Q1 2024 to 37% in Q1 2025, highlighting the accelerated trend toward larger screens. This segment also saw a 66% year-on-year sales increase in 2025, becoming the core driver of market growth.

The market share for tablets ≥12.5 inches rose to 10% in Q1 2025. While the share is limited, the growth potential in the high-end market, especially in office and creative use cases, is still evident.

Top Brands Dominate the Market, Learning Tablets Break New Ground

The tablet market is highly concentrated among top brands, with Apple dominating the high-end market and holding the largest share. Huawei and Xiaomi lead the mid-to-high price segments, while Honor and Lenovo perform well in the sub-1000 RMB market, with Honor taking the lead in the 1000-2000 RMB range for 11.5-12.4 inch tablets.

At the same time, learning tablet brands have made breakthroughs in various price segments through targeted market positioning. For example, Zuoyebang excels in the 2000-4000 RMB market for 11.5-12.4 inch and ≥12.5 inch tablets; Xueersi leads the 4000+ RMB market for 11.5-12.4 inch tablets; XiaoYuan ranks among the top in the <10.5 inch, 2000+ RMB market; and iFlytek maintains a leading position in the ≥12.5 inch, 6000+ RMB market. These brands, through technological innovation and differentiated market positioning, are gradually showing competitive strength against top brands in niche markets.

Conclusion:
The tablet market is evolving towards mid-to-high-end segments and larger screens, with consumers demanding better performance and experiences. Brands are competing in various sub-markets based on technological innovation and precise market positioning. In the future, as the trend towards larger screens and differentiated brand competition intensifies, the tablet market will continue to evolve, attracting more consumers seeking products with stronger performance and better experiences.