iPad Momentum Falls Flat as Tablet Market Experiences First Year-Over-Year Decline

[AppleScruff1]

What openness? You're giving your life to Google by using them. Android is on a fast track to total lockdown making all Android OEM subservient to Google basically.

If you put linux on them, yes they make cheap machines to run it. Otherwise, I don't really get the whole "openness" that Google has somehow hoodwinked people into thinking anything they touch is "open" is one of the best marketing coup they could make...

And you give your life to Apple by using them. And what about Apple's marketing coup convincing people that a closed system is best? Is the glass half full or half empty?

 

[X Cruz 187]

'

I bought the first gen iPad in 2010, the iPad 3 in 2012, and I just recently bought an iPad Air 2 in 2015. I think Apple should just continue to innovate tablets until they become as good, if not a better alternative to laptops. Unfortunately the iPads until the Air 2 have been underpowered and constantly refresh webpages.

I'm still using my iPad old school it works great I see no reason to upgrade every 2 years maybe if they gave some sort of buy back option?

----------

I've had my iPad 2 since 2011. Never felt the need to upgrade it. Now, my 3-year-old has stolen it from me (for moderate, educational use, of course), and while I want an iPad Air 2, I can't justify the purchase. There's just not enough room in that niche between my iPhone and my MBP.

This, I believe, is why sales are plateauing. We don't need to replace them every 2 years like phones. We take good care of them (due to the initial investment) so they are in good shape for hand-me-downs, resales and trade-ins.

There will always be a market for the new, high-end device, but don't expect that all tablet users will jump to upgrade.

I agree 100 % I still use my iPad old school paid $830 when the iPad first came out. Over Christmas I started looking for a black Friday deal, ended up getting a winbook from microcenter for $60 best money I spent in a long time!

Full widows 8 expandable to additional 64 Gb via micro sd also came with office 365 + license for my Mac.

 

[Mattsasa]

Your statement was true around 2011/2012. Apple killed the netbook market with the slow and very bad atom processors. But I have the strong feeling that you haven't tested any of the latest android/windows tablets. Competition really caught up and surpassed Apple in the Webbrowsing area. If you look at the upcoming fanless tablets with Intel Core M, they give Webbrowsing on the iPad a hard time: Full X86 compatibly, browser extensions, easy to use tablet mode, faster in many benchmarks and most of them are cheaper than the iPad Air 2. I am not saying that iPads are bad in general. I liked my mini 2 a lot (with iOS 7.1), but right now webbrowsing is way better on other platforms. Apple could easily change this situation by dropping some of the software/browser restrictions.

I test as many windows and android tablets on a regular basis. I just haven't tested this atom processor.

And I have been following Core M rumors and news intensely for the past half of a year, because I am so incredibly excited for the ultrabooks and 2in 1s with them. (On a side note: Where the hell are the Core M deives... so delayed, intel said core M laptops would be shipping in october, and the only one shipping so far is yoga pro 3 :/ i guess I am not really surprised though) I will be buying an asus ux305 and 12" MBA as soon as they are available to me.

However, I was very surprised when A8X that is actually just as fast if not faster than Core M(in terms of synthetic benchmark)

I guess going back to the original point, and I guess to me I would still say that iPad air 2 will deliver a better web browsing experience than atom, and maybe even Core M as well. However, I guess that depends how you measure the experience, to me I feel the iPad is a better web browsing experience than my desktop computer even. (maybe that is a stretch). Fast webpage loading, and smooth scrolling and zooming, and touch gestures, is most of the time more important than browser extensions, webapp compatibility, plugin compatibility, and other desktop features. Again, though this is situation dependent. And I don't even remember what I was arguing in the first place

 

[Keirasplace]

And you give your life to Apple by using them. And what about Apple's marketing coup convincing people that a closed system is best? Is the glass half full or half empty?

It is the best in what they market, security, privacy, stability, upgradability, controlled experience, better performance (because they control the whole thing), etc. They actually are proud of their being closed. It is no secret, they're not shying from it; it is one of their USP. If you're actually seeking all those things : Apple is better. That's the basis of most of their ads.

My objection is to Android marketing themselves to the tech demo and OEM's as open, when they're not. I don't give a crap if they are in fact not open. Maybe full openness is actually not such a good idea... Considering the slow march of Android towards being locked down, I think Google agrees with me ;-) though OEM's probably not...

BTW, on Android, marketing of openness (which they've dialed down to near zero lately) is not aimed towards the general public because lets face it, they don't give a crap about that. They only care that their phone is not to expensive and is reasonably good.

Android does have some advantages : multi-platform which leads to huge price range variance (but also leads to low differentiation of OEM and low profits, fragmentation, highly variable experience) and easier to get software on it (that leads to more anarchic, anything goes development (can be good or bad), but also more piracy and less security).

 

[Zendokan]

When your sales are stagnating, your business model needs to change. For any significant changes to happen, the OS needs to comply, and right now, it simply isn't. That's why you aren't seeing killer apps, not because no one wants to make them which is what you seem to be implying.

Apple Inc's business model works great for them, the market stagnation is the result of a market coming to saturation, which in this case is the consumer market.
Apple needs to enter several sub markets, namely education and business.

The iOS will evolve, step by step, we will see split screen/multi tasking in the near future (iOS 9 or 10), but that is not what is holding companies back from creating professional "killer apps".
Their software would run the same on 1 side of the screen as it would on full screen. The threading needs to be done by iOS, not the killer apps. The apps should focus more on parallel usage (having 2 instants of the same app open, but doing other tasks) and for doing that, the focus would have to lie on their DBMS.

I'm implying that the iPad is in the process of re-defying its usage perspective, namely going from a content viewing customer device to a content creating business device.
This takes time because Business is always running behind (typing this from a Win 7 business notebook) technology wise, it's their trade-off to have stable systems.
So for me an iPad Pro could be that catalyst, but I suspect that it won't be too much different from the upcoming iPad Air 3.
We'll see at the Apple event 2015.

 

[ptram]

File management (they are getting close with icloud but we need a 1st party dropbox like solution that is supported in ALL apps but also has a stand alone app).

Cloud storage would always need some sort of contract with the owner of the servers. So, I guess this is mostly a third-party solution domain. All considered, Dropbox is always working with most apps, and there is wide support of other cloud service (I currently use more than one, each one dedicated to some apps; they are just different folders in my Mac).

Paolo

 

[tdale]

It is the best in what they market, security, privacy, stability, upgradability, controlled experience, better performance (because they control the whole thing), etc. They actually are proud of their being closed. It is no secret, they're not shying from it; it is one of their USP. If you're actually seeking all those things : Apple is better. That's the basis of most of their ads.

My objection is to Android marketing themselves to the tech demo and OEM's as open, when they're not. I don't give a crap if they are in fact not open. Maybe full openness is actually not such a good idea... Considering the slow march of Android towards being locked down, I think Google agrees with me ;-) though OEM's probably not...

BTW, on Android, marketing of openness (which they've dialed down to near zero lately) is not aimed towards the general public because lets face it, they don't give a crap about that. They only care that their phone is not to expensive and is reasonably good.

Android does have some advantages : multi-platform which leads to huge price range variance (but also leads to low differentiation of OEM and low profits, fragmentation, highly variable experience) and easier to get software on it (that leads to more anarchic, anything goes development (can be good or bad), but also more piracy and less security).

IMO the open/closed open/locked down issue is fading.

If I can only get apps in the AppStore, so what. If I have to use iTunes to sync/backup, so what. If there isnt a file system, so what. There is actually in some apps like Goodreader, and iCloud Drive. In the past, options were few, these days its getting better and better.

 

[Bernard SG]

Many interesting points of view in this thread, and I hadn’t read half of it.

I agree with the general idea that Apple isn’t putting a lot of effort/resource into the iPad, which is understandable, considering the razor-sharp focus they have to put behind the iPhone in the competitive context. Moreover, the iPad is said to bring in less financial profit than the iPhone AND the Mac lines so I can see how the weaker development activity behind the iPad makes business sense for Apple, the company.

While I don’t see a need for revolutionary moves in the iPad platform, I can think of some features that might rejuvenate the iPad and increase its attractiveness for potential buyers, for example:
- A micro-SD reader to allow photographs to work on their photos without the need for an adaptation dongle. Alternatively, Apple may want to develop a standard for making cameras communicate with mobile devices, via Bluetooth.
- Having a lightning port on the lateral side of the device to allow docking in landscape mode into a dock/keyboard (and perhaps Apple should develop its own docking station rocking a keyboard).
- A file system that allows more functionality to the user, like uploading a file via Safari or adding attachments to emails. It doesn’t need to be an OS X-esque full-blown file system but the currently existing one is really too restrictive for the user, even with the addition of iCloud drive.
- A greater communication between apps.

More generally, the shortcomings of the iPad are essentially on the productivity side of things. The goal is not and should not be to make the iPad a laptop replacement but at this point, using iPad for productivity purposes requires too often quirky workarounds, when we don’t hit a wall of impossibility. I’m not sure full multitasking and split windows are that important (except maybe for the purported iPad pro, if it happens), but there definitely is some room for incremental improvements.

 

[macintologist]

I'm still using my iPad old school it works great I see no reason to upgrade every 2 years maybe if they gave some sort of buy back option?

It's called Gazelle. They give you a box with free shipping and you send in your old iPad and they send you a check or Paypal or Amazon money +5% bonus. Use my referral link to get an extra $10 on your first trade in.

 

[tdale]

Many interesting points of view in this thread, and I hadn’t read half of it.

I agree with the general idea that Apple isn’t putting a lot of effort/resource into the iPad, which is understandable, considering the razor-sharp focus they have to put behind the iPhone in the competitive context. Moreover, the iPad is said to bring in less financial profit than the iPhone AND the Mac lines so I can see how the weaker development activity behind the iPad makes business sense for Apple, the company.

While I don’t see a need for revolutionary moves in the iPad platform, I can think of some features that might rejuvenate the iPad and increase its attractiveness for potential buyers, for example:
- A micro-SD reader to allow photographs to work on their photos without the need for an adaptation dongle.

Extra cost and less room inside, more weight, less battery



Alternatively, Apple may want to develop a standard for making cameras communicate with mobile devices, via Bluetooth.

Good idea, I guess it depends if all camera manufacturers buy into it

- Having a lightning port on the lateral side of the device to allow docking in landscape mode into a dock/keyboard (and perhaps Apple should develop its own docking station rocking a keyboard).

Good idea


- A file system that allows more functionality to the user, like uploading a file via Safari or adding attachments to emails. It doesn’t need to be an OS X-esque full-blown file system but the currently existing one is really too restrictive for the user, even with the addition of iCloud drive.

Yes, although if every app used a local file system as Goodreader does, that would solve that issue. Email attachments, yes.


- A greater communication between apps.

I think we have that now ex iOS 8, cannot recall the function name but its there to allow apps to communicate, its up to the app dev to implement that

More generally, the shortcomings of the iPad are essentially on the productivity side of things. The goal is not and should not be to make the iPad a laptop replacement but at this point, using iPad for productivity purposes requires too often quirky workarounds, when we don’t hit a wall of impossibility. I’m not sure full multitasking and split windows are that important (except maybe for the purported iPad pro, if it happens), but there definitely is some room for incremental improvements.

I agree. Assess any functions that cannot be done, are klunky to do, and make them useable. Its still primarily a consumption device, but allow the existing create capability to be easier. That in itself would make the iPad a SP3 competitor at a much lower price point.

 

[s2mikey]

Apple Inc's business model works great for them, the market stagnation is the result of a market coming to saturation, which in this case is the consumer market.
Apple needs to enter several sub markets, namely education and business.

The iOS will evolve, step by step, we will see split screen/multi tasking in the near future (iOS 9 or 10), but that is not what is holding companies back from creating professional "killer apps".
Their software would run the same on 1 side of the screen as it would on full screen. The threading needs to be done by iOS, not the killer apps. The apps should focus more on parallel usage (having 2 instants of the same app open, but doing other tasks) and for doing that, the focus would have to lie on their DBMS.

I'm implying that the iPad is in the process of re-defying its usage perspective, namely going from a content viewing customer device to a content creating business device.
This takes time because Business is always running behind (typing this from a Win 7 business notebook) technology wise, it's their trade-off to have stable systems.
So for me an iPad Pro could be that catalyst, but I suspect that it won't be too much different from the upcoming iPad Air 3.
We'll see at the Apple event 2015.

But, I don't want the iPad to deviate from what it's so good at. Why can't it just be a very solid, reliable consumption device that can be used for productivity here and there? Why does it have to redefine its usage perspective? Isnt that what laptops and possibly the ipad pro are/will be for?

Trying to make it into a NASA certified power server will just ruin it, IMO. Nothing wrong with some innovation and better hardware here and there but I get tired of the "lets make the iPad into a computing beast" arguments. Not what's its for. Never was intended to be. It's the best tablet for a reason.....because it's the best at "being" a tablet and that's all it does.

IMO.

 

[technosix]

iPad sales in decline isn't a big deal.

Steve Jobs was brilliant, yet he was guilty of becoming romantically attached to his products and over hyping them especially during product launches and in various other scenarios.

The iPad is a perfect example. Introduced by Steve as "Magical and Revolutionary" it's now becoming clear that as good as an iPad is there's no magic in it... or it would still be setting sales records.

Instead we have it in decline. That's perfectly normal and nothing to fret over. It'll seek its own spot in the product lineup and sell accordingly. It will not collapse or disappear, it's simply a market adjustment that is currently happening.

No worries.

 

[Stella]

Some of the software is just inappropriate for iPad. Why would you want to put database servers onto an iPad? iPad is a client of and already is - i.e., mostly via web services.

That goes for Visual Studio and XCode too. I couldn't imagine trying to code on the iPad. The resolution of the screen would make it a nightmare for starters.

Libra Office, OTOH - sure.. a great fit.

It's not iPad or iOS!

Where is
Apple Xcode for iOS?
Microsoft Visual Studio and SQL Server for iOS?
Oracle database suite and financial applications?
LibreOffice for iOS?
CRM, ERP systems for iOS?
Adobe Premiere, After Effects, Audition...for iOS?
and hundreds of other software that can be ported to a touch UI?

There is where the limiting factor for iPads is and not in the iPad itself!

 

[SactoGuy18]

In the end, it comes down to this: only users of the original iPad and iPad 2 have compelling reasons to upgrade to the later models.

Users of all Retina Display iPads enjoy at least 1 GB of RAM, which is enough to make even iOS 8.1.3 a reasonably compelling user experience. As such, iPads now have much longer replacement cycles compared to iPhones, which have advanced in technology much faster.

 

[Zendokan]

Some of the software is just inappropriate for iPad. Why would you want to put database servers onto an iPad? iPad is a client of and already is - i.e., mostly via web services.

That goes for Visual Studio and XCode too. I couldn't imagine trying to code on the iPad. The resolution of the screen would make it a nightmare for starters.

Libra Office, OTOH - sure.. a great fit.

It were examples of "professional" software, nothing more.

I'm not talking about making an iPad, any iPad, even the rumored iPad Pro as a standalone device, but as an extension tool to software suits that are used on a desktop/notebook.
This would/could be accomplished by having touch UI versions of that software, probably with some limitations since it's touch UI based, but with a good sync capability to the software used on the desktop/laptop or on the server.

See it more as an electronic clipboard where you can make little changes or add notes to your project when you aren't at your desk, without unplugging your notebook or asking a developer to accompany you to your desktop.
Or in environments where even carrying a MBA would be a hassle, for example a supervisor on a construction yard or shipping yard.

So not a replacement, but an addition to.

 

[Zendokan]

But, I don't want the iPad to deviate from what it's so good at. Why can't it just be a very solid, reliable consumption device that can be used for productivity here and there? Why does it have to redefine its usage perspective? Isnt that what laptops and possibly the ipad pro are/will be for?

Trying to make it into a NASA certified power server will just ruin it, IMO. Nothing wrong with some innovation and better hardware here and there but I get tired of the "lets make the iPad into a computing beast" arguments. Not what's its for. Never was intended to be. It's the best tablet for a reason.....because it's the best at "being" a tablet and that's all it does.

IMO.

Read my response to user Stella.

In that view, the iPad wouldn't become a computing beast, even the contrary, to be specific that outside the size and additional speakers there wouldn't be a difference between the iPad Air 3 and the "rumored iPad Pro".

The "professional" touch UI software would be an extension of desktop software and iOS 9 or 10 would have split screen functionality.
So a consumer can put on one side the Super Bowl and on the other side an online betting website while in a company that can be to professional apps or both can just keep the split screen option closed and use the full screen.

It's not Yin Yang, an iPad can be at the same time a content viewing customer device and a content creating business device without both interfering the other.
It all depends from the apps that can be delivered.

 

[BreezyR]

Shouldn't have gimped the new iPad mini.
Shouldn't have gimped on RAM.
Should've had multi-tasking already.
Should've had more innovation by now.
Surprise me (pleasantly) Apple. There's no reason why an iPad should perform about the same as a tablet that's almost half the price.

 

[trainwrecka]

Don't upgrade the software then. My iPad 4 is still on iOS 6, fast as ever. If I had iOS 8 on it it would be slower and full of bugs.

This is so true. I only update my OS's 1 system past what it shipped with now. Life is good.