Apple beats Microsoft and Amazon, but tablets continue to fall: IDC

In the first quarter of 2016, tablet shipments worldwide saw a decline of 14.7 percent with 39.6 million units shipped. The quarter saw ‘mobile-first’ companies like Samsung and Huawei introduce detachables, but the mid-range price would mean facing competition from Microsoft’s surface. “Microsoft arguably created the market for detachable tablets with the launch of their Surface line of products,” said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers. Apple’s recent foray into this segment has garnered them an impressive lead in the short term, although continued long-term success may prove challenging as a higher entry price point staves off consumers and iOS has yet to prove its enterprise-readiness, leaving plenty of room for Microsoft and their hardware partners to reestablish themselves.”