Apple's Lead in Tablet Market Share Shrinks as Consumer Satisfaction Slips Slightly

MacRumors · Oct 30, 2014

Apple continues to rank among the world's top tablet manufacturers both in customer satisfaction and shipments, according to reports released today by J.D Power and IDC, although the company is showing some signs of weakness as lower-cost competitors gain momentum and consumers look for more innovation in Apple's tablet lineup. Apple fell slightly behind Amazon in J.D. Power's semiannual customer satisfaction survey, while the company's lead in worldwide tablet shipping volume continues to shrink.

Worldwide tablet shipments in 3Q14 in millions of units (Source: IDC)

According to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, Apple remains the global tablet market leader, despite a 12.8 percent decline in quarterly shipments year-over-year. Apple shipped 12.3 million units in Q3 2014, edging out both Samsung, which shipped 9.9 million units, and coming in well ahead of Asus, which climbed to the number three spot with 3.5 million units shipped.

Apple's iPad shipments (red) and share of worldwide tablet shipments (blue) for 2Q11-3Q14 (Source: IDC)

Apple's market share is projected to increase in Q4 2014 due to the introduction of the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, but the jump will likely be tempered as more consumers hold onto their existing tablets for a longer period. IDC also predicts iPad shipments will continue to be eclipsed by the popularity of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

"Although the low-cost vendors are moving a lot of volume, the top vendors, like Apple, continue to rake in the dollars," said Jitesh Ubrani, Senior Research Analyst, Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker. "A sub-$100 tablet simply isn't sustainable--Apple knows this--and it's likely the reason they aren't concerned with market share erosion."

While Apple remains first in market share, the company lost its number one spot in the latest J.D. Power tablet satisfaction study. Apple scored 824, taking the number two slot behind Amazon and its inexpensive line of Fire tablets. Samsung took the third slot, trailing the two market leaders with a score of 821. J.D. Power measures satisfaction on a 1,000-point scale using five criteria which include performance, ease of operation, feature set, styling/design and cost.

J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study--Volume 2

Apple had reclaimed the top spot in J.D. Power's survey earlier this year after losing it to Samsung in the late 2013 rankings.

Apple now is offering its most expansive phone and tablet lineup to date, selling both older iPhone and iPad models, along with the new 4.7-inch iPhone 6, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, the Touch ID-enabled iPad mini 3 and the slimmer and faster iPad Air 2. Apple's ecosystem will expand again with the early 2015 debut of the Apple Watch, the company's first entry into the exploding wearables market.

Article Link: Apple's Lead in Tablet Market Share Shrinks as Consumer Satisfaction Slips Slightly

d4rkc4sm · Oct 30, 2014

Ios 7/8 sucks is why

3N16MA · Oct 30, 2014

I have a feeling that many cheaper tablets are bought and played with for the first few days (perhaps a couple of weeks) and then end up going untouched for large chunks of time.

Peace · Oct 30, 2014

My guess is IOS 9 will fix that.

Vol7ron · Oct 30, 2014

This was bound to happen. However I think that at least to me, the biggest downfall of the iPad is the software. That is where Apple really needs to innovate. iOS 9 needs to be huge. Split screen Multitasking, widgets, etc. all need to be a focus for the iPads.

SirLance99 · Oct 30, 2014

3N16MA said:
I have a feeling that many cheaper tablets are bought and played with for the first few days (perhaps a couple of weeks) and then end up going untouched for large chunks of time.

Yeah, because this is the same thing that's been happening quarter after quarter. People just keep buying cheap tablets and not using them. They must have so much disposable money to keep doing that.

dannyyankou · Oct 30, 2014

They need to Snow Leopard iOS

cobbyco · Oct 30, 2014

They really need to make the iPad OS less like a stretched up iPhone.

Take the Music app. Back in iOS 3/4 it was fantastic and really made great use of the screen estate. Now in iOS 7/8 it's just the iPhone app with some controls thrown on at the top.

The iPad has always had this problem to some extent, but it's made more apparent with iOS 7/8. Hopefully they'll spend this year redesigning the iPad OS much like they did with the iPhone and Mac.

asleep · Oct 30, 2014

Pretty ugly looking chart, there.

mr.bee · Oct 30, 2014

people are fed up with using their ipad as an expensive toilet read?

for me, two reasons:

ios 8 is not professional enough

ipad mini got beaten by the lame stick

GmDude66 · Oct 30, 2014

RCA makes tablets??

goodcow · Oct 30, 2014

Vol7ron said:
This was bound to happen. However I think that at least to me, the biggest downfall of the iPad is the software. That is where Apple really needs to innovate. iOS 9 needs to be huge. Split screen Multitasking, widgets, etc. all need to be a focus for the iPads.

All on 1GB of RAM! (phones, not iPad Air 2)

0815 · Oct 30, 2014

not sure if it is due to consumer satisfaction - I am super happy with my iPad, as a matter of fact, I am so happy with the iPad I have that I don't need to upgrade right now, same goes for the other three family members - they are all on various generations (since I always bought the latest and handed the previous one to a family member that needed/wanted) - but they are all running strong and do what we need an there is no family member without one, so no need to buy one.

There is just no need to update every year or every other year.

ayala421 · Oct 30, 2014

Peace said:
My guess is IOS 9 will fix that.

Yes...when they introduce multitasking :apple:

Wiesenlooser · Oct 30, 2014

No surprise, really. It seems like they werent really invested anymore. ios 8 does basically nothing, tablet-specific new and ipad air 2 is nothing more than a thinner ipad air 1. These are not bad products, but they don't seem to push the category as forward as its relatively young age would deserve

0815 · Oct 30, 2014

3N16MA said:
I have a feeling that many cheaper tablets are bought and played with for the first few days (perhaps a couple of weeks) and then end up going untouched for large chunks of time.

or are being updated within a year because they suck hoping that the new one sucks less --> generating more sales.

Wish there was a way to publish not sales number but actual use numbers.

scbn · Oct 30, 2014

There is no way to hide it - consumers were not impressed by iPad Air as with prior generations. Time to try something new - bring out iPad Pro?

Peace · Oct 30, 2014

Wiesenlooser said:
No surprise, really. It seems like they werent really invested anymore. ios 8 does basically nothing, tablet-specific new and ipad air 2 is nothing more than a thinner ipad air 1. These are not bad products, but they don't seem to push the category as forward as its relatively young age would deserve

So you're saying the A7 is the same as the A8X and 1GB RAM is the same as 2GB RAM ?

iMerik · Oct 30, 2014

I'm truly not excited about having a large iPhone. I might consider owning an iPad again if iOS takes advantage of the screen size and power.

RickInHouston · Oct 30, 2014

That graph really brings the point home as to what Mr. Cook said about apple tablet sales. That's going to be a rather difficult ship to re-route. I can see why they are fighting hard to keep the apple phone in the public eye. If the phone ever heads that direction...

godslabrat · Oct 30, 2014

The iPod was the undisputed champion of the mp3 player world, but as others were competing and started getting close, Apple lowered the price and still continued offering the edge in user experience. This is a sign that it's time to do that with the iPad... time to nip rivalries in the bud, by lowering the price so people are willing to pay only "a little more" than they'd pay for a Samsung or Amazon tablet, rather than an arm and a leg more.

Dougie83 · Oct 30, 2014

It is not surprising when many customers found their iPhone 6+ were as bent as Tim Cook.

dec. · Oct 30, 2014

With growing competition and lower price tablets it's no surprise that Apple are losing market share. As trendsetter (dear special friends, that does not equate "Apple invented tablets!!!!", thanks), they owned the majority of the market when there weren't many other (for some also affordable) options.
Also the tablet market seems to be one where people don't upgrade periodically. I have a "new iPad (3)' and a mini first gen, they still do their job nicely and I don't feel the need to upgrade them as much I as feel about upgrading my phone.

jayducharme · Oct 30, 2014

Tim Cook seems to always be focused on customer satisfaction. That's what he always seems proudest of at Apple events. I wonder what he'll think about losing the top spot to Amazon.

I think one of keys is to under-promise and over-deliver (as with Apple Pay). There's been more Apple hype lately (ex: the iOS 8 update and continuity) that haven't lived up to its promise.

Crosscreek · Oct 30, 2014

I have bought a new ipad air 2 only because Best Buy gave me $260 trade in for my ipad 2. I not excited about it and it feels so much cheaper than my old one just because the old one withstood so much abuse with no signs of wear and tear. The new one feels cheap.

Apple's Lead in Tablet Market Share Shrinks as Consumer Satisfaction Slips Slightly

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