IDC global hardware module research team Senior Research Manager Xu Mei-wen stated that in the fourth quarter of 2017 the global tablet ODM/EMS industry continued the trend of growing shipments from the previous quarter, and due to factors such as operating system upgrades and lower product retail prices, shipments increased from the prior quarter.

In terms of shipment proportions, in the fourth quarter of 2017, Mainland Chinese manufacturers benefited from orders from major companies such as Lenova and Huawei along with the stabilization of shipments from white label manufacturers, and they accounted for approximately 50% of the total amount of global slate tablet manufacturing.

From the standpoint of individual manufacturers’ performance, among the top four ranked manufacturers for shipment quantities, with the exception of Samsung and Huawei who do their own in-house manufacturing, the other companies did ODM/EMS manufacturing.

In the first quarter of 2018, the IDC global hardware module research team expects that the global tablet manufacturing industry will lack growth momentum and will significantly decline under the influence of seasonal factors.

(TR/ Phil Sweeney)