Apple's Share of Tablet Market Sinks on Lack of Product Launches in Early 2013

[reckless2k2]

That would make sense if their competitors marketshare didn't double or triple for the same time period. Apple is throwing dollars away with their slow production and release schedule.

Apple stands behind their products as being a quality experience. I know a lot of people around me still using the original iPad and the company still markets the iPad2 with success.

I think we can sometimes get sucked down a marketing campaign that lacks real substance at the end of the day.

Does the lack of more RAM and the latest processor impede the quality of the experience? No.

I don't think Apple needs to get in a race to production war over specs to improve their position or retain it. That's obviously just my opinion though.

 

[jdag]

That would make sense if their competitors marketshare didn't double or triple for the same time period. Apple is throwing dollars away with their slow production and release schedule.

Couple of things...

1) Do a simple "sanity check"...walk through any airport in the USA and tell me any other manufacturer is getting ahead. Totally unscientific, but I sat in the Chicago airport recently and did a quick count of iPads vs others in a 5-10 minute period. Just made a quick mental note of what I was observing. EASILY 80% iPads, probably 90%.

2) The figures in the table do not show scale at all. People are reading about Samsung increasing market share by 277%. But that's off of a basis of 2 million units from last year. Yes, impressive growth, but needs to be put in context.

3) Before anyone fires back, I do also see that Apples YOY growth was negative, which is a concern obviously, and likely a result of lack of new products since the mini. Keep n mind that when the mini was introduced, it's growth rate killed the incumbant iPad, but again because it was starting from 0.

 

[alent1234]

thats a lot of "Other" LOL if you count tablets that are actually used apple would be number 1 im pretty sure

the others are Amazon

 

[2IS]

thats a lot of "Other" LOL if you count tablets that are actually used apple would be number 1 im pretty sure

None of that changes the fact that Apple is losing market share, and losing it at a pretty alarming rate. It's not surprising really. With the exception of adding cameras when the iPad 2 came out, there has been nothing to enhance the functionality of the device and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon either.

 

[zorinlynx]

Remember that airports tend to be frequented by people who can afford to travel, and this can afford more expensive tablets.

Try a greyhound station. I bet you'll see mosty flip phones and low end Chinese generitablets.

Couple of things...

1) Do a simple "sanity check"...walk through any airport in the USA and tell me any other manufacturer is getting ahead. Totally unscientific, but I sat in the Chicago airport recently and did a quick count of iPads vs others in a 5-10 minute period. Just made a quick mental note of what I was observing. EASILY 80% iPads, probably 90%.

2) The figures in the table do not show scale at all. People are reading about Samsung increasing market share by 277%. But that's off of a basis of 2 million units from last year. Yes, impressive growth, but needs to be put in context.

3) Before anyone fires back, I do also see that Apples YOY growth was negative, which is a concern obviously, and likely a result of lack of new products since the mini. Keep n mind that when the mini was introduced, it's growth rate killed the incumbant iPad, but again because it was starting from 0.

 

[alexgowers]

Tablets are like laptops, they are the personal computer of the now. To expect apple or anyone to hold 70% of the market for anything longer than a few years is stupid, it's not possible.

I still persist in my opinion that most android tablets aren't used and that ios is just simply addictive to use in comparison.

 

[zorinlynx]

Y'all should be happy. The longer Apple takes to release a new ipad, the longer your current iPads will remain supported.

I for one am happy my ipad 4 has remained state of the art for this long!

 

[LagunaSol]

*sigh* Here we go with the market share nonsense again. Hmm, Amazon and Google are practically giving tablets away. Which increases market share. But does nothing for profit. Why should Apple be expected to compete with zero-margin products?

They shouldn't.

Remember what happened to Dell and HP when they chased market share via rock-bottom PC pricing? Complete disaster. Yet here we go again in the tablet market. Good luck with that approach, guys. Apparently history has taught you nothing.

 

[herbapou]

Market share is a silly metric for fanboys of either side to get excited about.

Also... it's amazing to see what Apple can do with so little market share. The Mac is 5% of the computer market... but it's the most profitable computer line in the world. I'm not saying profit is the most important thing... (who am I kidding... it's the most important thing in business)

Actually, I am disapointed in Apple on the Mac situation. With the PC market on the decline, I am hoping Apple could come up with a way to gain market shares.

On the mac pro side, I am hoping Apple will make a consumer version of the desktop, something much cheaper with gaming GPU's instead of high end video editing GPU's. If Apple only targets pro's its missing oportunities.

Apple should have refresh its monitor months ago. On top of offering high end 4k monitors to go with its macpro, it should offer cheaper 20" and 27" versions that could be used with mac minis.

On the laptop side, I hope they could repackage and offer laptops for the mid-range segment, so if they go all retina, the non retina line could be more cost sensitive. While the market is cloning Apple with ultrabooks in aluminum shells, I wish Apple could some up with less expensives , but yet still high quality shells for its mid range line. If it was me I would expand the plastic color shells to all mid range product lines: old iphones, old ipads minis, non retina macbook air.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

As always, it is important to note that IDC's numbers track shipments instead of sales, and thus how many shipped devices are making their way into consumers' hands remains unclear.

This is really key because when Apple announces sales numbers they are hard sales not shipments to resellers who hope to sell them. It's very much like how like the NL use to count actual people going through the turnstile but the AL counted paid tickets. Thus on a cold, raw, rainy September evening the Phillies could announce 12K attendance while 1.5 hours down I-95 the Orioles had a sellout even though Camden Yards was just as deserted.

The other thing is Apple started at 100% marketshare because it invented the modern tablet concept. But there are more tablet iOS users at 60% marketshare than when it had 100%. It's true Apple tablet sales were flat over the past year, but it was still growing nonetheless. When iPad tablets lose sales growth is the time to panic. We'll see what Apple offers to prevent that from happening over the next year.

Finally, not noted in the survey, because it's only a market share survey, is the fact that iOS users spend more money on apps and media than Android users. So the people who buy iOS and Android are as different as those who buy Boss Black suits and J.C. Pennys house brand suits.

 

[LagunaSol]

Actually, I am disapointed in Apple on the Mac situation. With the PC market on the decline, I am hoping Apple could come up with a way to gain market shares.

So true. Windows 8 is a flop. PC makers are going down in flames. Microsoft (thankfully) doesn't have the stranglehold on the tech world they once did. People are finally opening their eyes and realizing they don't have to be locked into Windows/Office any longer. Apple should be doing more to bring them into the OS X camp. Much more.

 

[Amplelink]

Did anyone think the tablet race would turn out differently? A ton of inexpensive tablets flood the market, many of which are 1/3 the price of the iPad. Of course the iPad is going to lose market share. Apple knows this.

The meaningful statistics are profit and usage percentage, IMO. And Apple is miles ahead in both.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Actually, I am disapointed in Apple on the Mac situation. With the PC market on the decline, I am hoping Apple could come up with a way to gain market shares.

I don't know why they need to gain market share... I thought I just debunked that

You're right though... it would be nice to see more Macs out there. But price is a huge obstacle for many people.

Apple's computers start at $1000 in a land where you can get a Windows machine for $299 at Walmart.

I know those machines suck... but it's a fact of life that cheap computers sell more than expensive computers.

You and I know it's worth it to spend the extra money on a Mac... but good luck convincing everyone of that

 

[pirg]

Did anyone think the tablet race would turn out differently? A ton of inexpensive tablets flood the market, many of which are 1/3 the price of the iPad. Of course the iPad is going to lose market share. Apple knows this.

The meaningful statistics are profit and usage percentage, IMO. And Apple is miles ahead in both.

This should be obvious to everyone. The fact that it's not boggles the mind. Of course apple is going to lose marketshare when they started at 100% and were the only players in the market!

 

[Rogifan]

Who are others? Is that mostly cheap Android tablets from China.

 

[Ryth]

Do you have the link to this?

The 11 million tablet part? Yeah it was covered on Daring Fireball and Apple 2.0 over on CNNMoney.

Strategy Analytics finds millions of Android tablets, rewrites iPad history
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13...ions-of-android-tablets-rewrites-ipad-history

Smashing Apple: Is Strategy Analytics in Samsung's pocket?
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/08/02/apple-samsung-strategy-analytics/

BTW for those that don't understand...this is what is actually called 'reporting'.

 

[TouchMint.com]

So true. Windows 8 is a flop. PC makers are going down in flames. Microsoft (thankfully) doesn't have the stranglehold on the tech world they once did. People are finally opening their eyes and realizing they don't have to be locked into Windows/Office any longer. Apple should be doing more to bring them into the OS X camp. Much more.

Although it would be cool Apple would never allow another party to design/ create their hardware.

They can be so reliable / profitable because they can write their software so closely with their hardware.

 

[Ryth]

Well, only someone in real need or an idiot would buy an iPad now, when a new model is almost here.

Also, all these reports are so conflicting; some show Samsung at #1, others show Apple at #1. I'm not sure what the basis for these analysis are, but not all seem to be realistic.

Yah this was just like those calling doom and gloom when the 4S was pushed by 3 months and Apple's supposed % of the market was down, then magically blew up again in October.

 

[MacFather]

Deleted.

 

[Ryth]

Apple stands behind their products as being a quality experience. I know a lot of people around me still using the original iPad and the company still markets the iPad2 with success.

I think we can sometimes get sucked down a marketing campaign that lacks real substance at the end of the day.

Does the lack of more RAM and the latest processor impede the quality of the experience? No.

I don't think Apple needs to get in a race to production war over specs to improve their position or retain it. That's obviously just my opinion though.

Agreed, I have lots of friends using an iPad 2 and even a few using an iPad 1. But I know they all plan on upgrading to the new Mini or iPad 5 since it's been about 3 years for most of them.

 

[nostresshere]

blah blah blah

If they release the Ipad 5 with anything near expectations (lighter to start with), I will be ready to upgrade. Lots of us still on original Ipad and waiting for enough jump up to get a new one. I think this could be a big jump for many of us.

 

[Dmunjal]

*sigh* Here we go with the market share nonsense again. Hmm, Amazon and Google are practically giving tablets away. Which increases market share. But does nothing for profit. Why should Apple be expected to compete with zero-margin products?

They shouldn't.

Remember what happened to Dell and HP when they chased market share via rock-bottom PC pricing? Complete disaster. Yet here we go again in the tablet market. Good luck with that approach, guys. Apparently history has taught you nothing.

Disaster for whom? Certainly the vendor but it was a boon for the average consumer. Especially the low-end one who could buy a PC for the first time. Think about all the third world citizens who are gaining from having access to information enabling them to rise out of poverty.

I think competitive pricing is GOOD for the industry and for society.

Android and Windows have been good for the industry if only to keep Apple honest.

 

[pirg]

The 11 million tablet part? Yeah it was covered on Daring Fireball and Apple 2.0 over on CNNMoney.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13...ions-of-android-tablets-rewrites-ipad-history

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/08/02/apple-samsung-strategy-analytics/

Oh boy prepare for some backlash...you just linked to a PED article that links to a DED article. The naysayers love to dismiss both of them as biased for no reason...(most probably because they can't prove them wrong)

If there was a florian mueller quote on there it would have been the trifecta!

 

[69650]

According to IDC's numbers, Apple held a 32.4% share of the market for quarter, compared to 39.6% in the previous quarter and a 60.3% share in the year-ago quarter.

Apple's market share halved in the space of a year. Wow that's amazing. I thought the iPad had more traction than that with or without new models.

Interesting to see what happens in the Christmas quarter with the new iPads.

 

[Ryth]

Oh boy prepare for some backlash...you just linked to a PED article that links to a DED article. The naysayers love to dismiss both of them as biased for no reason...(most probably because they can't prove them wrong)

If there was a florian mueller quote on there it would have been the trifecta!

Haha...I'll try to find one.

I could care less that they say.

Facts don't lie. Data doesn't lie.

Analysts making up numbers are lies.

And as John Gruber says...fitting the facts to the narrative is going on too much.
http://daringfireball.net/2013/07/fitting_the_facts

BTW if you want something that blows away all the bull...then look at Horace Deidu's recent post

http://www.asymco.com/2013/07/30/that-competition-thing/