India’s digital hardware market is showing a clear shift in momentum. According to Canalys’ Q1 2025 data, tablet shipments in the country fell sharply by 24% year-over-year to just 1 million units. In contrast, personal computer shipments (excluding tablets) climbed 13% to reach 3.3 million units, driven by strong demand for notebooks.
Samsung Faces Decline, Apple Gains Ground
Samsung, long the top tablet vendor in India, experienced a steep 33.4% drop in shipments, falling from 464,000 units in Q1 2024 to 309,000 in Q1 2025. Its market share slipped from 34.4% to 29.8%. Acer suffered an even more severe 67.2% decline due to delays in government and education sector orders.
Apple, however, recorded significant growth. iPad shipments in India rose 26.8% year-over-year, increasing its market share from 9.5% to 15.8%. Lenovo also performed well with a 16.1% growth, followed by Xiaomi, which saw a 12.6% rise. These gains were likely fueled by strong consumer interest, improved retail presence, and targeted online marketing across metro and tier-two cities.
Notebook Segment Sees Strong AI-Driven Growth
Notebook shipments in India grew 21% year-over-year in Q1 2025, reaching 2.4 million units. AI-capable laptops saw 253% growth, albeit from a small base, while premium laptops priced above $1,000 surged 49%. The data suggests that both consumers and enterprises are now prioritizing higher performance and AI-readiness.
HP led the overall PC market with nearly 29% share. Lenovo followed closely, posting a 34.8% year-over-year growth in shipments. Apple also saw notable gains in the PC category, with Mac shipments rising 73%, helped by its expanding offline retail network and rising appeal among premium users.
Despite the ongoing weakness in the tablet segment, Canalys forecasts 6% growth for India’s overall PC market in 2025, with an even stronger rebound expected in 2026. AI adoption and rising demand from non-metro cities are expected to be key growth drivers.
As India’s hardware market continues to evolve, the divide between PCs and tablets is becoming more pronounced. PC makers are capitalizing on AI and premiumization, while tablet brands face mounting pressure to innovate or risk losing relevance in a fast-changing landscape.
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