Smartphone shipments to the China market in third-quarter 2020 plunged 25.2% on quarter and 26.2% on year due to the US government placing stricter trade sanctions on Huawei and consumer spending remaining weak.
According to Digitimes Research's observations, 2020 global tablet shipments will show flat growth from the 2019 level as the COVID-19 pandemic spurs explosive stay-at-home demand. With unfilled demand for tablets gradually satisfied and a high comparison base in 2020, tablet shipments in 2021 will decelerate and drop 10.5% on year.
Following three consecutive years of declines in 2018-2020, global smartphone shipments are expected to grow by a double-digit rate or 150 million units in 2021.
Second-quarter 2020 global tablet shipments amounted to 39.65 million units, surging 60.5% from a quarter ago and 21.4% from a year ago, outperforming expectation.
Smartphone shipments to the China market in second-quarter 2020 were doubled sequentially, as the coronavirus pandemic in China was eased, while the economy was benefited by the re-opening and new phones were being launched.
Global tablet shipments are forecast to climb 45.5% sequentially and 9.9% on year in the second quarter of 2020 thanks to a recovery in the related supply chain's capacity in China and educational tablet orders deferred from the first quarter.
Smartphone shipments to the China market in first-quarter 2020 plunged 51.9% from the prior quarter to reach the lowest single-quarter shipment volumes in recent years, as the market was influenced by slow season and the coronavirus outbreak.
The coronavirus outbreak has resulted in labor shortages and shipment disruptions in China's supply chain, but Digitimes Research believes if the epidemic gets under control, China-based top-4 smartphone brands' shipments are expected to drop 19.5% on year in the first quarter of 2020, while smartphone AP shipments to China will fall 11.4% on year during the period.
The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted production and weakened consumer confidence, with all ICT sectors bracing for major declines in shipments. Digitimes Research has conducted analyses on three mobile device sectors, namely notebooks, smartphones and tablets in the wake of the outbreak. The Special Report offers the latest updates about production statuses and shipments outlook for 2020 for each of the three sectors.
Global tablet shipments amounted to 43.23 million units in fourth-quarter 2019 as white-box vendors had excess inventory, causing their shipments for the quarter to weaken, while brand vendors saw the momentum from the third quarter continue into fourth-quarter shipments.
