The latest analyses from the firm Omdia point to a significant jump in iPad shipments in the fourth quarter of 2025Just as the global tablet market begins to lose the momentum it experienced during the pandemic years, while other manufacturers are progressing more cautiously, Apple is managing to distance itself and solidify its role as the industry leader.
Factors such as the Christmas season and the fear of future restrictions on memory componentsThese figures have boosted both consumer purchases and the actions of manufacturers themselves. For Spain and the rest of Europe, these numbers help explain why tablets—and, in particular, the iPad—continue to be so important in areas such as education, hybrid work, and intensive consumption of digital content.
The iPad extends its lead amid a slowing market
According to data published by Omdia, Apple is expected to have shipped 19,6 million iPads in the last quarter of 2025.This represents a year-on-year increase of 16,5%. This growth clearly surpasses that of the overall tablet market, which remained at around 10% during the same period.
With these figures, the iPad consolidates its position as absolute market leader, with a 44,9% market share in the fourth quarterFar behind are Samsung (14,7%), Lenovo (8,8%), Huawei (6,9%), and Xiaomi (6,4%). The remaining 18,3% is divided among other manufacturers who tend to focus on more affordable models or on emerging markets where the battle is fought primarily on cost.
The report highlights that combining entry-level iPad and professional models have been key For this push. The eleventh generation of the most affordable iPad has become the main gateway to the Apple ecosystem, while the iPad Pro family with M5 series chips is aimed at those who need more power for advanced productivity tasks, video editing, graphic design, or intensive use of professional applications.
Omdia also emphasizes that Apple reinforces its leadership just as the global market shows signs of saturationAfter several years of declining shipments, the rebound of around 10% across the sector is not enough to speak of a new boom: much of the current demand is linked to the renewal of existing tablets, something very visible in Europe and also in Spain.
In this more mature scenario, the fact that the iPad is clearly growing above average It indicates that the brand is capturing a significant portion of renewals and also users who, when considering buying a tablet again, choose to make the leap to the Apple ecosystem, even if it is through the most basic models.
A more mature tablet market, but with a volume rebound.
In its analysis of the sector, Omdia points out that Global tablet shipments increased by around 10% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025The figure is slightly better than that recorded a year earlier, in 2024, and comes after three consecutive years of declines that followed the peak in demand associated with the 2020 pandemic.
The study clarifies that the market remains far from exceptional volumes These peaks were reached when widespread remote work, online classes, and home entertainment fueled tablet sales. Now, the trend is much calmer: families are taking more time to upgrade, extending the lifespan of their devices, and companies are tailoring their fleets to very specific needs, from points of sale to mobility solutions for field personnel.
Despite this more moderate tone, the consulting firm indicates that 2025 would have become the year with the highest annual volume of shipments Since the pandemic boom, this suggests that, although growth is no longer explosive, tablets continue to occupy an important place in the ecosystem of personal and professional devices, with particular prominence in education, retail, logistics, and jobs that require constant connectivity outside the office.
In the case of the iPad, Omdia attributes part of the good result to the fact that Apple has played with a mix of new releases and price drops in previous generationsThis allows it to cover different budgets and user profiles: from students and users who only want to browse and consume content, to professionals who want the tablet to take over some of the tasks of the laptop.
For markets like Spain, this strategy translates into a more evident presence of the iPad in schools, administrations and businessesCompatibility with specific accessories—such as keyboards or styluses—and with vertical applications designed for certain professions ends up weighing more than the mere price of the device itself, something that is making a difference compared to much of the Android offering.
Keys to the jump in iPad shipments in the fourth quarter
One of the elements that best explains this rebound is the strong seasonality associated with the Christmas campaignThe last part of the year is usually decisive for consumer electronics and, in 2025, many households took the opportunity to renew their tablet or incorporate an iPad as a common device for the whole family, a fairly common behavior in Spain.
Alongside consumer demand, the report focuses on the early reaction from manufacturers to potential memory supply problemsSeveral suppliers reportedly increased production and brought forward shipments to the channel, a practice known as "pre-build," to protect themselves against the memory component limitations expected by 2026. This move would have partially inflated the volume of units distributed in the last months of the year.
In the case of Apple, Omdia links the 16,5% growth in shipments to the positive reception of the standard eleventh-generation iPad and the popularity of the iPad Pro with the M5 chipThe former act as an entry-level option for those who want to try the ecosystem without going to very high prices; the latter are aimed at those who seek to use the tablet as a main work tool or, at least, as a very close complement to the laptop, something that is gaining ground among creative and technical professionals in Europe.
The report also suggests that, in developed markets such as Europe, The tablet replacement cycle is getting longerDevices age better, thanks to both their hardware and the frequency of software updates. This forces manufacturers like Apple to introduce more significant features and truly noticeable design or performance improvements to convince those who are undecided between sticking with their current model or upgrading to a new one.
Looking ahead to the coming months, the consultancy warns that Demand for tablets could come under greater pressure in 2026After the boost from the Christmas holidays and the advance in production driven by anticipated memory shortages, the sector could face a somewhat more challenging environment, with more cautious consumers, tighter business budgets, and increasing competition from large-screen mobile phones and ultralight laptops.
Impact in Europe and the role of the iPad in Spain
In the European context, Omdia points out that The iPad maintains a particularly strong position in the educational fieldSchools, institutes, and universities have been consolidating digital classroom projects and one-to-one programs in which the Apple tablet is usually the central device, thanks to management tools, integration with learning platforms, and the possibility of working with interactive materials in real time.
In Spain, this trend has translated into a continued increase in the number of iPads in public and private centersas well as in academies and vocational training schools. The combination of touchscreen, stylus, external keyboards, and remote management options facilitates its integration into environments where digital content is used intensively and easy-to-maintain devices are needed.
The iPad has also found its niche in the European business world. hybrid work scenarios and high mobilitySalespeople, field technicians, retail staff, and healthcare professionals use tablets to access catalogs, management applications, histories, and real-time documentation, taking advantage of the fact that they can switch from a desktop computer to the tablet without breaking the workflow.
For individual users in Spain and the rest of Europe, the iPad remains one of the preferred devices for entertainment, video streaming and daily browsingThe perception that it "lasts for several years without giving problems", added to the range of apps and the integration with mobiles and computers of the same brand, makes many see it more as a medium-term investment than as a simple seasonal gadget.
In the end, Omdia's data paints a clear picture: The iPad continues to set the pace in the tablet marketWhile the sector as a whole is progressing at a more moderate pace and settling down after the peak of the pandemic, Apple is managing to grow above average, expand its market share and strengthen its position both at home and in professional environments in Europe and, very visibly, in Spain.
