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Apple Continues to Sell the iPad 2 Because Customers Are Still Buying It

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Apr 12, 2001
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Some observers may have wondered why Apple would continue to sell the iPad 2 for $399 after announcing the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini on Tuesday. The answer, according to new research from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, is because customers are still buying the two-year old tablet.

The iPad 2 accounted for some 22 percent of iPad sales in the September quarter, down significantly from prior quarters, but it appears there is still more than enough demand for a cheaper, full-size iPad, particularly for the education sector.

cirpipad.png
"Despite this quarter including back-to-school sales, the iPad 2, which accounted for a third of sales for the prior six months, seems to have started to show some age, after several strong quarters," said Josh Lowitz, Partner and Co-Founder of CIRP. "Yet, the iPad Mini continued its relative share in the past few quarters, as customers seem to continue to like it as a low-price tablet alternative."
Click to expand...
The full-size iPad 4 remained the most popular iPad in the quarter, accounting for nearly half of total sales in the U.S., while CIRP says the iPad mini tallied about a third of sales.

Apple's new iPad lineup sees the older iPad mini starting at $299, the new Retina iPad mini and the full-size iPad 2 available for $399, and the new iPad air beginning at $499.

Article Link: Apple Continues to Sell the iPad 2 Because Customers Are Still Buying It
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/24/apple-continues-to-sell-the-ipad-2-because-customers-are-still-buying-it/
Sky Blue

Sky Blue

Guest
Jan 8, 2005
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Wouldn't people buy the iPad 4 at $399 too, though?

I guess profit margins are better on the 2!
 
blockburner28

blockburner28

macrumors 6502
Jun 27, 2009
361
0
New Orleans
well if you had the iPad 2 at this same discounted price and no other iPads for the last 2 years people will buy the (2) and this cycle will continue. Why not just say its more cheaper to build an iPad 2 then it is the 3 or 4.......
 
B

bretm

macrumors 68000
Apr 12, 2002
1,951
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ZacNicholson said:
why would they still buy it with the iPad 3 and 4 on the market ?:confused::confused:
Click to expand...

It's cheaper.

Simply put, they now have a lineup of 2 full size pads, and 2 mini pads. Each with a retina and non retina version. Pretty simple.
 
iBreatheApple

iBreatheApple

macrumors 68030
Sep 3, 2011
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Wow, the Minis are selling more than the full size iPad now. I prefer the Mini, but I didn't foresee those statistics.
 
Pompiliu

Pompiliu

macrumors 6502a
Apr 22, 2012
544
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Of course apple will still sell the iPad 2. People will refuse to pay that much for an old slow tablet with low-res screen and will buy the Air.

It's the same thing with the 5c. Why buy an iphone 5 with a plastic case when you can buy the 5s for just $100 more.
 
Y

YeahBuddy

macrumors regular
Aug 31, 2011
173
5
Boston, MA
No body should be paying $400 for a two and a half year old tablet. Especially when at the same price you could purchase a newly released Retina iPad Mini.
 
B

bretm

macrumors 68000
Apr 12, 2002
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Peace said:
That graph shows the iPad 4 selling quit well. This doesn't explain why they EOL'd it.
Click to expand...

It's been replaced by the iPad air. Why is that confusing? They can't make it for any cheaper because it's a retina. Maybe a little, so why would you have the iPad 4 be just barely cheaper than the air, and possibly undermining air sales?
 
J

JOHONDAR

macrumors newbie
Oct 24, 2013
1
0
Interesting

It is funny that they would post this, I literally said this last night when I saw the keynote. I have an iPad 2 and I think it's nothing short of ancient. It has a hard time keeping up with my typing. It does make you wonder why people would go for something like an old iPad 2 when the Mini with the retina display and that quad core, 64 bit monster of a cpu inside it is the same price.:confused:
 
Q

Quercus Alba

macrumors member
Jun 19, 2013
76
0
Selling the iPad 2 also ensures that apps which are fully compatible and optimised for the iPad Mini 1's chipset continue to be made for the time being.
 
B

bretm

macrumors 68000
Apr 12, 2002
1,951
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YeahBuddy said:
No body should be paying $400 for a two and a half year old tablet. Especially when at the same price you could purchase a newly released Retina iPad Mini.
Click to expand...

It's bigger than the mini. Some people don't see as well as you. They need stuff bigger. And the retina doesn't do much good if you don't see so well. :p
 
Peace

Peace

Cancelled
Apr 1, 2005
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Space The Only Frontier
bretm said:
It's been replaced by the iPad air. Why is that confusing? They can't make it for any cheaper because it's a retina. Maybe a little, so why would you have the iPad 4 be just barely cheaper than the air, and possibly undermining air sales?
Click to expand...

The iPad 2 was replaced by the iPad 3 etc..

;)
 
T

troop231

macrumors 603
Jan 20, 2010
5,822
553
Selling the iPad 2 to regular customers is a fail. If they still want to keep it around for educational purposes, they should make a specific model with no cameras and a lower price point for institutions and not have it be available to purchase by regular customers. Just like the educational iMac.
 
GreatDrok

GreatDrok

macrumors 6502a
May 1, 2006
561
22
New Zealand
Many people can't really tell the difference between retina and non-retina screens. I can tell with my full size iPad 1 where the screen is clearly inferior to the one on my iPad mini even though they're the same number of pixels. The higher density and better design of the screen on the mini makes it look better than the iPad 1. Next to the iPad 2, not so much. I still think the mini screen is better than the 2 but it isn't so marked. Put both next to a retina screen and there is a difference yes, but many people don't really care. People who bought an iPad 2 when it came out have had a good deal though because it looks like it will be getting iOS 8 which is a hell of a run given that the iPad 1 ran out at iOS 5.

I'm intrigued to see the iPad mini retina but my eyes are ageing and I have trouble telling the difference between my iPad mini and iPhone 4 screen. Younger eyes would likely have no trouble but to me the mini screen is pretty good and makes the mini the budget choice even against the iPad 2 although some would still prefer the extra size. My 70+ year old mother-in-law has an iPad 2 which works well for her.
 
B

bretm

macrumors 68000
Apr 12, 2002
1,951
27
JOHONDAR said:
It is funny that they would post this, I literally said this last night when I saw the keynote. I have an iPad 2 and I think it's nothing short of ancient. It has a hard time keeping up with my typing. It does make you wonder why people would go for something like an old iPad 2 when the Mini with the retina display and that quad core, 64 bit monster of a cpu inside it is the same price.:confused:
Click to expand...

Size matters. But they should update the processor in the iPad 2 if they're going to keep selling it. But then what would they call it? iPad 2.5?
 
N

NewbieCanada

macrumors 68030
Oct 9, 2007
2,574
37
My mother and aunt bought my other aunt an iPad for her 65th birthday. When I saw it I was shocked to see it was an iPad 2.

But realistically it makes sense. She's never going to play a game on it, the print is perfectly legible for her iBooks, web browsing and email use. Why pay an extra $100 (or whatever the price difference is) for features the end user will never notice or take advantage of.

Some people buy lowest-end 11" MacBook Airs. Some buy loaded 15" Macbook Pros.
 
Xenomorph

Xenomorph

macrumors 65816
Aug 6, 2008
1,397
829
St. Louis
The iPad 2 is a great tablet, and it matches the specs of many of Apple's other devices:

A5 / 512 MB:

iPhone 4S
iPod touch (5th generation)
iPad mini (1st generation)
iPad 2
 
bushido

bushido

Suspended
Mar 26, 2008
8,070
2,755
Germany
Xenomorph said:
The iPad 2 is a great tablet, and it matches the specs of many of Apple's other devices:

A5 / 512 MB:

iPhone 4S
iPod touch (5th generation)
iPad mini (1st generation)
iPad 2
Click to expand...

but it will probably be dropped by iOS 8 so it doesnt really make much sense to get it in the long run
 
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