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According to Venturebeat, market research firm IDC released a new report stating that in the third quarter of 2016, global shipments of tablets (including those equipped with keyboards) declined by 14.7% on a year-on-year basis, reaching 43 million units, compared to 50.5 million units in the same period last year. This marks the 8th consecutive quarter of declining shipments in the tablet market. Apple and Samsung remain the dominant forces in the tablet market, ranking first and second among manufacturers in terms of shipments. Amazon still holds the third position. The top five global tablet manufacturers account for 55.8% of the global market share, up from 46.8% last year. However, no manufacturer has shipped more than 10 million units. Shipments for Apple and Samsung also declined again, although Apple’s market share increased by 1.9% to 21.5%. Samsung’s market share has dropped by 0.9%, standing at just 15.1% now, but its shipment volume is still more than twice that of Amazon’s. For Samsung, as shipments continue to decline, the gap between it and Apple is also widening. This is the first time such a situation has occurred this year; previously, the gap between the two sides had been narrowing. This reversal can be attributed to Apple’s iPad Pro series, despite the overall declining sales of Apple iPads. This is the third time that Amazon has made it into the ranks of the top five tablet manufacturers; previously, Amazon would only disclose its computer sales figures for the fourth quarter (or holiday season). Amazon’s cheap tablet, the Fire, helped Amazon rise to the top quickly, but its growth has slowed down. Lenovo’s shipments are also declining, but its market share increased by 0.3% to 6.3%. Huawei’s shipments increased, and its market share rose by 1.9 percentage points to 5.6%. Over the past several quarters, the shipment volumes of these two companies have remained relatively stable, and it seems unlikely that they will be replaced. Microsoft still failed to make the list. Since the company has released only the Surface Book i7 this year, we suspect that Microsoft’s strategy in the tablet market could change at any time. But segmenting tablets is a correct strategy. Jitesh Ubrani, a senior research analyst at IDC, said, “Unfortunately, many low-cost detachable tablets can only offer a low-quality experience.” In the long run, it has a destructive effect on the market. Because detachable tablets are always viewed as disposable devices, rather than potential alternatives to PCs. ”