Apple Sold Fewer iPads Year Over Year for 13th Straight Quarter as Tablet Market Shrinks to Five-Year Low

[curtvaughan]

No, they won't replace computers for everyone. But they still sold 2x as many iPads (8.9M) as they did Macs (4.2M).

Different markets - iPads are largely for content delivery, as are iPhones. They provide roughly the same service with more real estate and less portability. Macs are full blown computers with more storage, more RAM, more CPU, and keyboard/mouse/display flexibility. iPads are also about a 3rd the price of most Macs.

 

[BigDaddyChops]

If Apple would give us an option to utilize a mouse to make apps like Office functionally efficient on our iPads, then we could actually replace notebook computers for many tasks. This is the very reason MS is seeing such growth in their Surface market. They're not tablets as much as notebook replacements.

 

[Pilgrim1099]

Because they are not the same.

The iPad does what I want it to do, more so than android tablets, while offering a better user experience at it.

It's a premium I am willing to pay.

Even if that is the case with premium quality on their iPad products, I think it's going to slow down greatly when consumers start to figure out that Apple is ripping them off. Here's something for you to think about real hard:

1. Apple's iPad Pro and iPhone 7 can go up to 256 GB at a maximum on a fixed amount without any way to upgrade the storage, especially when it comes to certain games that take up a lot of memory. Both of these product lines are around the $1,000 price range.

2. Nintendo just released the Switch console/tablet device for $299 and it has a memory expansion slot that can go up to...are you ready for this? 2 TB ( terabytes ) of storage at a maximum. That is sick and impressive. Another thing, the Switch is cartridge based and their games have compressed data that can now hold around 20 or 30 GB, maybe more. You load the cartridge up and boom, game is running immediately.

This is far better and more stable than having to download a 2 or 4 GB sized game on the iOS app store which can take forever. I don't think Apple's Cloud solution is going to work in the long term. Maybe for now but down the road, they're going to have some stiff competition.

So which one can expand up to 2 TB of storage and costs $299, giving customers the option to buy more memory/storage cards. The other costs about $1,000 with a fixed storage amount. When customers start to SEE that difference, they're going to question Apple's rigidity in product evolution.

Nintendo has the advantage hands down when it comes to product longevity, value, and expansion for the Switch.

Why keep buying new hardware with a fixed storage amount every year or two? Something is clearly very wrong with the picture when Apple keeps up with the premium insanity while other products have value and practicality. This is where I think most of the Android phones or tablets got right in providing storage slots.

I think the slow down is due to the fact people are waking up to this fixed versus expandable storage scheme.

So how long do YOU think it'll be until Apple will reach the 1 TB mark with their iPad and iPhone line? Probably not for a very long time until 2025. By then time, they reach to that number, other competitors will be so far ahead in storage capacity due to demands on OS and application growth.

 

[HermanMunster]

Replace "phone" with "laptop" and this post could have been written by me.

I have an iPhone
I have a 13" MacBook Pro (which has progressively gotten thinner, lighter and more portable - like most other modern laptops such as the Surface Pro 3 I have for work)

A mutating laptop! I'd like one of those!

 

[malexandria]

I guess the premises of your statement are the issue.

When I was younger, I spent a lot of time configuring things from different vendors so they would work. Then, a client of mine had a Mac, and I bought one so that I could make sure that I was giving him the service that he was paying for. There's nothing like paying someone $125/hour to look at a book/website on how to fix the issues on their Mac.

All that aside, I got an iPhone around that time (They would do Exchange Servers, so that was a plus), and then an iPad. The learning curve was much steeper (Y being amount learned, and X being time, so a steep learning curve means that you're learning a lot in a short amount of time), and after about a year, I realized that I don't have time to learn each new thing, and be efficient at what I do. Also, when I call Apple for support, it's hard for them to blame someone else when they're all Apple products.

So, the short answer to your statement is I'd rather learn it once, and be able to serve my customers than to have a hodgepodge of different "best of breed*" devices that don't talk well to each other.

*Best of breed may be actually true for that individual device, but for the customer that is using it, a Ferrari 458 may not be the best car to take the kids to school, especially with the speed bumps in the parking lot.
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If they really want iPad sales to improve, they'll put a voice cell chip in them.

I hope you are being sarcastic.

 

[tentales]

Only 36.2 million. Only. By any other company's metrics, this would be wildly, miraculously successful. I think the tone of this article is a little off.

Yes, ONLY! That's the total for ALL companies, not just Apple.
if you read the entire article. Apple only sold 8.9 million and has had 13 shrinking quarters, while the tablet market declined 10 quarters in a row. There, I gave you the exec summary.

People are realizing that the major use for tablets is at the media consumption end and very little else.
Despite some incorrigible iFanboys insisting otherwise, the iPad has too many restrictions and simply isn't a pro device, despite Apple's attempt to shove it down the throat of pros, by adding "Pro" to its name and upping the price.

 

[tuyylihk]

cmon Tim.
Give us a new iPad Pro and take my money.
My iPad Air 2 has run out of storage! And I don't like the new iPad.

 

[macfacts]

Technology simply doesn't improve fast enough to justify an annual refresh cycle for the iPad, nor are people rushing to upgrade their tablets every 2 years the same way they do with smartphones either. Expect Apple to refresh their iPads once every 1.5 to 2 years moving forward.

People don't get new cars every year but manufacturers release a new model every year.

The problem with Apple releasing a tablet every 2 years is people dont want to pay full price (day 1 price) for a 1.5 year old tablet.

 

[CaneCollegeboy]

The biggest issue is the ios and the lack of a track pad feature on the wireless keyboards that maim the Ipad. This is by design because if implemented it would eat into laptop sales.

 

[macfacts]

This is how Apple can get more devs to make pro apps, take only 10% for apps priced over $50.

 

[tentales]

And it doesn't matter to me whether the cat is white or black so long as it can catch mice.

https://www.aboveavalon.com/notes/2017/3/29/apple-is-pushing-ipad-like-never-before

A growing iPad business will make it that much easier for Apple to move beyond the Mac and focus on creating a new breed of personal gadgets that make technology more personal.

Well, one cat is white and that black thing is actually a dog pretending to catch mice.

We all know the iPad is your fave, but the numbers speak loudly, that for 13 quarters, the iPad has not been a growing business.
Facing facts is sometimes hard. It's like talking to climate change deniers. You can create your own fake news, while the rest of us face up to reality.

I dare venture to suggest that VR/AR will kill all iDevices in a few years for most mobile use cases, maybe even content producers (that target group will take longer). Build them into some nice shades made by some Luxottica powered brand, combined with HUD in your new Audi, BMW, etc and higher fines for using "handheld" devices while driving/ walking/ "lucking" and you have a new gen of personal tech. It just won't be the gadgets you're hoping for.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...ge-the-world-at-8th-annual-awe-300426836.html

 

[CrystalQuest76]

If Apple would give us an option to utilize a mouse to make apps like Office functionally efficient on our iPads, then we could actually replace notebook computers for many tasks. This is the very reason MS is seeing such growth in their Surface market. They're not tablets as much as notebook replacements.

Apple is in the business of selling computers. Its in their best interest to encourage customers to buy a iPad AND a Macintosh.
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cmon Tim.
Give us a new iPad Pro and take my money.
My iPad Air 2 has run out of storage! And I don't like the new iPad.

Save your money and move some of that unused data on your iPad to a computer and get lots more life from that current device.

 

[jonnyb098]

My iPad Pro was useless till I got the keyboard for it. iOS is still meh...when it comes to productivity. Need drag n drop, finder, better multi-tasking

OH so in other words you want a Mac. So get a Mac.

 

[9081094]

OH so in other words you want a Mac. So get a Mac.

I think you don't understand his needs. He wants a handheld touch device capable of more complex needs. Microsoft solution wasn't great at first but their latest offerings are the trendsetters. 90 procent of people know how Windows works and there isn't a big learning curve for Windows 10.

Windows 10 isn't that different to work with than OSX. While Apple was scrambling all of their resources to iOS windows made a big jump and is on par (with lot's of things ahead of Apple (gaming)). Apple should be very careful not ending as a second rate brand because they're getting punched on all fronts now. Microsoft is working very close with Adobe and that will be the final end of creative professionals on the Macplatform. Everyone is offering better solutions then Apple with computers; low and high end!

One thing Tim Cook said will hold truth: Apple was never about selling the most. The other part of selling the best is a marketing lie. As Apple is so focused on taking profits they've forgotten that the reason people bought Apple in the past was because they brought excellent tech in hard- and software which justified their premium prices. Today it's all outdated.

WWDC 2017 should offer a GIANT jump forward on all their offerings if not, they better stop selling computers and leave it to companies who care. If hackers can build an hackingtosh with free computer parts in two hours, why would it take Apple more then a year?

Don't blame Intel for it because sub 1K PC's crush the MacPro already. Even HP introduced a laptop which crush the MacPro in speed. It's a big shame for a company with so much resources at hand.

 

[topmounter]

I'm just waiting for the Mini5.

 

[mi7chy]

The biggest issue is the ios and the lack of a track pad feature on the wireless keyboards that maim the Ipad. This is by design because if implemented it would eat into laptop sales.

Bingo. Companies like Microsoft sells a Surface device that can replace a tablet and laptop. Samsung's Galaxy S8 Plus can replace desktop (with DeX), laptop and tablet. Apple is driven by greed to sell you three different non-overlapping devices.

 

[CrystalQuest76]

People are realizing that the major use for tablets is at the media consumption end and very little else.

Two years ago i worked for a health research organization. I used an iPad when performing subject intake eligibility. The iPad was connected to a large web application with the survey tool. While I could have used a smart phone being able to have the questions displayed on a larger screen so that the subject could read them ensure a higher likelihood of subjects understanding content (reading and hearing me). One of my coworkers in a social behavior study took the iPads out into the field and used it for survey data collection. Since these surveys require data entry, they are not simply media consumption devices. Your imagination and experiences appear to be rather limited.

 

[ChrisLTD]

When you have air 2 still getting updates to the latest OS for many that's more than enough. No need to upgrade.

Until March, the iPad Air 2 was still being offered as the new regular iPad by Apple. Why wouldn't it get the latest OS updates for at least a few years from now?

 

[The Game 161]

Until March, the iPad Air 2 was still being offered as the new regular iPad by Apple. Why wouldn't it get the latest OS updates for at least a few years from now?

Thats the point though. Even 2-3 years old or long it will get updates so really for many why would they need to upgrade when for many they use the ipad for the same things.

 

[ChrisLTD]

Thats the point though. Even 2-3 years old or long it will get updates so really for many why would they need to upgrade when for many they use the ipad for the same things.

Yeah, good point. I'm a little peeved that the years old Air 2 was the middle of the road model until this March.

 

[3568378]

If Apple would give us an option to utilize a mouse to make apps like Office functionally efficient on our iPads, then we could actually replace notebook computers for many tasks. This is the very reason MS is seeing such growth in their Surface market. They're not tablets as much as notebook replacements.

Interestingly enough, they run full versions of Windows and have a full sized physical (albeit detachable) keyboard. So I believe what you're saying is that the Surface is actually a notebook that's also a notebook replacement. I rest my case. If the tablet is the stripped down software notebook missing key features and a decent keyboard then the tablet (iPad) is dead.
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Bingo. Companies like Microsoft sells a Surface device that can replace a tablet and laptop. Samsung's Galaxy S8 Plus can replace desktop (with DeX), laptop and tablet. Apple is driven by greed to sell you three different non-overlapping devices.

Wow, so the Galaxy S8 can run full versions of Final Cut or Adobe Premier and edit hundreds of gigabytes of 4K footage? Anyone want to buy a MacBook Pro 15"?
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One of my coworkers in a social behavior study took the iPads out into the field and used it for survey data collection. Since these surveys require data entry, they are not simply media consumption devices. Your imagination and experiences appear to be rather limited.

We all stand corrected. We did forget the other major use for iPads. In your case it's data entry for behavior studies...I regularly encounter people who use iPads to enter what zip code my family is from. Yes, the Disney cast member who surveys you when you enter the park definitely depends on that iPad I guess. Phone keyboard must be way too small to enter those 5 digits.

 

[I7guy]

Bingo. Companies like Microsoft sells a Surface device that can replace a tablet and laptop. Samsung's Galaxy S8 Plus can replace desktop (with DeX), laptop and tablet. Apple is driven by greed to sell you three different non-overlapping devices.

Dex is dead in the water, imo. Surface can't really replace a consumption device, due to battery life. And dex is an mstsc replacement. So yeah, kinda, sorta, maybe.

 

[CE3]

iPads continue to be a huge success, selling millions more than the competition, people just don't need to upgrade them every year.

It's not surprising that sales go down and level out over time when the technology is no longer new and these devices become a regular part of our daily lives. Smartphones will see their decline too. We're supposedly living in a "Post-PC" era, but millions of laptops and desktops are still being sold.. just not at year 2000 levels anymore.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

I believe the chief reason is that Apple practically created the modern tablet market. In the beginning, everyone who wanted a tablet would get one from Apple, hence the exponential growth. Now, everyone who wants one has one, so we are gradually moving towards a PC-like replacement cycle, where the majority of users upgrade their iPads only every 4-5 years.

Let's look at it this way. Fewer people are buying the iPad mini, but revenue for the 9.7" and 12.9" iPads actually grew. This means that Apple will likely look to eventually phasing out the iPad mini. Once this is done, the larger iPads will be key to growth in the iPad market once again. Makes sense that Apple is pushing the larger iPads so aggressively in their latest advertisements.

The iPad is down but not out, and news of its demise are way exaggerated.

Agreed, and the revenues for the "PRO'S" would increase, if it could run Mac Apps, utilize a trackpad, and mouse

 

[Rob_2811]

This is how Apple can get more devs to make pro apps, take only 10% for apps priced over $50.

It would help but it isn't the whole story. The App Store has completely devalued software. Its difficult selling an app for $5 on let alone $100, then you've got to support and keep that app updated for free and let people install it on as many devices as they want at no extra cost and in some cases share it with their whole family again at no extra cost. It just isn't worth the time for most devs.

The list of productivity apps that @Abazigal has posted up is very telling. Many of them by huge companies like Microsoft and Google who can afford to throw resources at a project for little/no return. The truth is they are companion apps to their more feature rich desktop versions.