You won't win any prizes for guessing who's at the front, though. Category pioneer Microsoft reportedly shipped 1.6 million Surface tablets (most of them Pros), while Apple shipped over 2 million iPad Pros in the device's inaugural quarter. Design experience, brand recognition and sheer financial clout clearly went a long way.

This isn't to say that companies need detachables for success. IDC notes that some of the hottest action came from low-end tablets, like Amazon's $50 Fire tablet and various models from Huawei or Lenovo. However, it's no wonder that Samsung and others are getting into the detachable tablet game. It's not only a booming category, but potentially more lucrative -- even if the tablet market shrinks, you could still turn a tidy profit.