Tablets set for a record year after a bad 2023 in India

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After a two-year lull, businesses are warming up to laptops and PCs The covid-19 pandemic created a huge demand, leading to a 56% surge in tablet sales in 2021, and 24% growth in 2022 to an all-time high of 5.3 million units, data shared by IDC India with Mint revealed. This was driven by the need for remote work and education devices—while offices opted for laptops, tablet brands catered to education needs especially in the rural sectors.

“In 2022, we sold 2.3 million tablets driven by government contracts to cater to rural classrooms in the education sector," Harish Kohli, president and managing director of Taiwanese electronics brand Acer’s India business had told Mint in an interview earlier. “"This was largely fuelled by the need for a sub- ₹15,000 smart device, and laptops were too expensive to cater to it." But 2023 was a dismal year as anticipation of the 2024 general election, coupled with edtech uncertainty led by Byju’s troubles, saw very few commercial tablet contracts being executed.

As a result, annual sales shrunk nearly 25% last year. Demand recovered this year as orders from states and the edtech sector returned.

The consensus of four analysts polled by Mint is that tablet sales will be around 5.8-6 million units this calendar year—a growth of nearly 50% over the previous year. With analysts pegging the average selling price of tablets across the market at around $175 ( ₹14,700), the tablet market is likely to hit an all-time high in sales volumes and revenue, which is expected to top $1 billion for the first time.

“Parents are starting to realize that the need for a smart device is inevitable for their children’s education right now," said Bharath Shenoy, research manager at IDC India. “A tablet is the