[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Samsung Electronics is expected to increase its tablet PC production next year, driven by the surge in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to IT media PhoneArena on the 28th (local time), Samsung Electronics' tablet production is projected to rise to 34 million units next year. This represents a 6% increase compared to the estimated 32 million units produced this year, which is double the 3% production growth seen from last year to this year.
PhoneArena reports that starting from the first quarter of next year, Samsung will produce 400,000 units of its flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, along with 900,000 units of the Galaxy Tab S8 Plus, and 1.2 million units of the Galaxy Tab S8. Additionally, the budget models Galaxy Tab A8 and Galaxy Tab A7 Lite are expected to be produced at 11 million units from the first quarter, and 1.6 million units of the Galaxy Tab S8 Lite from the third quarter. More than 60% of Samsung's tablet production next year is expected to be from the mid-to-low-end Galaxy Tab A series lineup.
The increase in Samsung Electronics' tablet production is attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, the tablet market was experiencing a decline in demand due to the relatively slow pace of device development and the continuous growth in smartphone screen sizes. However, with the expansion of remote work and online education during the pandemic, tablet demand has risen again.
Meanwhile, according to market research firm Canalys, Samsung Electronics shipped 7.21 million tablets globally in the third quarter of this year, ranking second in market share (19.1%) behind Apple.
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