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

[tentales]

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.

Data entry? Incredible! I'd have never guessed.
Did the social behaviour study examine the effects of Internet forum discussions on etiquette?
[doublepost=1494024147][/doublepost]

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

Apple painted itself into a corner with their limited, locked down use of iPads vs Macs, while the broader market has moved on with dual use touchscreen, multiple ports equipped tablet/laptop hybrids for a lot less than buying a MacBook + iPad.

Apple refuses to merge the two devices and instead opt for touchbars on "pro" laptops and touchscreens on a "pro" tablet with limited connectivity and cheap Apps on a separate OS.

While trying to avoid cannibalizing and keeping alive separate hardware and software platforms, they're ignoring the broader trends, hence lacklustre iPad sales.

 

[Abazigal]

Apple painted itself into a corner with their limited, locked down use of iPads vs Macs, while the broader market has moved on with dual use touchscreen, multiple ports equipped tablet/laptop hybrids for a lot less than buying a MacBook + iPad.

Apple refuses to merge the two devices and instead opt for touchbars on "pro" laptops and touchscreens on a "pro" tablet with limited connectivity and cheap Apps on a separate OS.

While trying to avoid cannibalizing and keeping alive separate hardware and software platforms, they're ignoring the broader trends, hence lacklustre iPad sales.

The sales of surface pro tablets have apparently hit a plateau as well. Seems like the demand for a 2-in-1 convertible isn't as high as everyone is making it out to be. People might buy one because it's still a laptop at the end of the day, but I think the number of people who genuinely want one for its unique proposition is still a very niche number.

Overall, it's not a trend worth following.

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

This is where we will have to agree to disagree, but I continue to assert that the future of the iPad is not to become another PC.

 

[Abazigal]

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

The problem with all these "X will doom Apple" is that you assume Apple will just sit by idly and watch the world go by.

People thought wearables would kill the iPhone as well, but then Apple is now the new king of wearables.

If AR does shape up to be the next big thing, you can expect Apple to move into the space as well, and if need be, cannibalise its own iPhone products.

 

[jyroflux]

From my perspective, it's not the so much the tablets as it is the crappy tablet apps and the even worse tablet versions of web sites. If only I could see the desktop version I'd be happy. Then there's the apps that always yank you out of Safari and open the mobile version when you just want to stay in Safari. I trash apps that do that. The end result is I basically use my iPad for Netflix in bed and reading books.

 

[ColdShadow]

It's been established people are still using older iPads. Apple has sold over 300 million them.....
how exactly are they mostly dead? That's just a pure ignorant statement. Not to mention it's introduced basic computing to an entire generation of older people that would otherwise never have been part of the digital world.

those numbers are mainly related to older iPads bought in iPads heyday when the whole tablet line was a trend..and people just keep using them..
go read about the sales of iPads (or any tablet in general) in the past 1-2 years then come back and call my comment ignorant, because frankly, you are the ignorant here,so are you telling me sales of iPads are all good and and growing? that's laughable.because it's no secret sales are shrinking,big smart phone and ultra portable laptops already killed tablet market whether you like it or not.

 

[dysamoria]

Lets keep acting like there's something shocking about a saturated market that spells doom and woah...

 

[HarryWild]

Still waiting for Apple to release a new iPad Mini! I have a feeling it might be in the Fall. A11 SoC, 6GB LPDDR5 RAM!

 

[tentales]

The sales of surface pro tablets have apparently hit a plateau as well. Seems like the demand for a 2-in-1 convertible isn't as high as everyone is making it out to be. People might buy one because it's still a laptop at the end of the day, but I think the number of people who genuinely want one for its unique proposition is still a very niche number.

Overall, it's not a trend worth following.

This is where we will have to agree to disagree, but I continue to assert that the future of the iPad is not to become another PC.

Apparently? Sources please, since MS isn't releasing product specific sales figures you're just hoping it is so.

That's ok, keep hoping. I propose that the rMB & iPad Pro should merge and compete in the 2-in-1 segment.
Surface Book and other Pro level Laptops are far outselling MBPs especially at the high end:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/1/14451056/mac-vs-pc-high-end-market-sales-figures

Apple is in 6th place now behind Lenovo, HP, Dell, Asus and even Acer!

As far as your "niche" comment on 2-in-1 goes,
http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/your-next-laptop-should-be-a-2-in-1
It's like the cross-over SUV market now.

I believe iPads are becoming that niche.
As Pro users are starting to break free of Apple's eco-system, there will be less loyalty going forward and like the iPhone killed the iPod & separate smartphone market, the 2-in-1 fan-less hybrids will serve the lower segment of Pro users.

The iOS App store has increasingly become a cluttered, games-heavy, kids-oriented market.
Part of the decline is parents handing down iPads to junior for playtime and buying 2-in-1 or quad-core Kaby Lake PCs with horsepower. Apple has left the real Pros behind for far too long while focusing on the fashion train with the watch and fancy anodized colours and of course the iPhone as it's single biggest revenue stream.

Don't forget, I'm no Apple hater, I've been pro Apple for 30+ years, but I'm looking at the current trends and nothing Apple's done lately is compelling me to buy anything beyond my current iPhone SE, iPad Air 2, Mac Mini & 13" rMBP 2015. Apple just isn't exciting anymore.

The creative pros like this guy here lament over the same:
https://petapixel.com/2017/03/15/tray-ratcliff-says-apple-dead-explains-switched/
While I haven't thrown in the towel just yet (waiting for one more upgrade cycle), I am disappointed overall with Apple's direction and seriously looking for a smooth transition away from the walled garden.

 

[Abazigal]

I believe iPads are becoming that niche.

As Pro users are starting to break free of Apple's eco-system, there will be less loyalty going forward and like the iPhone killed the iPod & separate smartphone market, the 2-in-1 fan-less hybrids will serve the lower segment of Pro users.

I will respond to the rest of your points later in the day, but here's how I think Apple will position their iPad in the future.

 

[tentales]

The problem with all these "X will doom Apple" is that you assume Apple will just sit by idly and watch the world go by.

People thought wearables would kill the iPhone as well, but then Apple is now the new king of wearables.

If AR does shape up to be the next big thing, you can expect Apple to move into the space as well, and if need be, cannibalise its own iPhone products.

Like Apple did in the past, disruptive technology rarely comes from within the incumbent players. Tech industry history is full with examples.
The size Apple is now, with its "design-by-committee" mantra, lacking Steve's my-way ego, will just be usurped by a new player.

I'm not part of the Apple-is-doomed crowd, much like Sony, IBM, Xerox, etc. are still around, they're less at the centre of new innovation. Apple has had a really good run, longer than most, but I look at it from a historical perspective. Nothing and no one stays at the top forever and the issues are clearly visible now.

 

[Abazigal]

tablet is becoming what it really should have been : a niche product.
I won't be missing iPads, and I've had many of them, last one being Pro which only lasted 1 month and I sold it due to lack of real purpose and use.

it's all about ultra portable laptops now..proper computers that are very slim and light not limited tablets..also big phones.

deal with it folks, iPad is retired.it's 70% dead.
it's almost bizarre to see people with iPads or any tablets in public now.

If the iPad's a niche, what does that make the Mac, which sells in way fewer quantities than the iPad?

 

[jm001]

My family still has an iPad 2! It was a Mothers' Day gift for the wife several years ago and it's still being used. It runs the last iOS that it can handle and, although it's sluggish, it's pretty usable. The wife recently got her mother's hand-me down iPad 4 and I now use the iPad 2 for work.

I see the problem as being several issues:
1) everyone seems to have a tablet
2) people realized that tablets (Android and iOS tablets) CAN'T really replace laptops
3) upgrading yearly isn't necessary at all and when they do they simply give their older model to a family member
4) why pay that much for a tablet when a laptop does more for about the same price

 

[Rob_2811]

If the iPad's a niche, what does that make the Mac, which sells in way fewer quantities than the iPad?

A very expensive computer. Macs sell in such small quantities because they are so expensive. Traditional computers still outsell tablets significantly, by about 50% last year.

 

[maflynn]

If the iPad's a niche, what does that make the Mac, which sells in way fewer quantities than the iPad?

One has to wonder, and given Apple recent history with the Macs, people have been concerned about Apple's focus on that segment. While the news isn't' all that bad on the Mac front, its pretty hard to justify a 3k expenditure when you can buy a quality windows machine for 1/2 that.

 

[Abazigal]

One has to wonder, and given Apple recent history with the Macs, people have been concerned about Apple's focus on that segment. While the news isn't' all that bad on the Mac front, its pretty hard to justify a 3k expenditure when you can buy a quality windows machine for 1/2 that.

Well, I always go back to the saying - specs is the means, user experience is the end.

For instance, there are some youtubers like MKBHD who prefer Macs primarily for Final Cut Pro, which makes their $3000 Mac seem like a $6000 PC. A video which normally takes 3 hours to export on windows takes just half an hour on a Mac. In this case, better specs on paper don't necessarily allow them to do a better job.

Then there's macOS, which can make it challenging to go back to Windows, especially if you are already fairly invested in the Apple ecosystem or used to the software.

If Windows lets you do what you need to do at a cheaper price, then go for it by all means. Else, you are stuck with a Mac, for better and for worse.

 

[maflynn]

specs is the means, user experience is the end.

Windows at the moment is very feature rich.

Then there's macOS, which can make it challenging to go back to Windows, especially if you are already fairly invested in the Apple ecosystem or used to the software.

Not as much as you think, the only thing I miss when I'm using Windows is iMessage. Other then that, its fairly seamless.

If Windows lets you do what you need to do at a cheaper price, then go for it by all means. Else, you are stuck with a Mac, for better and for worse.

I still prefer OS X, but I find myself in Windows more then OS X. With that said, my kids like OS X over windows as well but I can see myself moving away unless we see some nice innovation in OS X (read non-emoji features)

 

[Abazigal]

Not as much as you think, the only thing I miss when I'm using Windows is iMessage. Other then that, its fairly seamless.

Here's what I would miss if I went back to Windows.

1) Continuity - still occasionally make calls and send SMSes on my Mac out of sheer convenience.

2) I like having the same app experience across all my devices, and I would miss apps like Spark (email), 1password, PDF expert, the iWork's suite, iMovie and notes (which is fairly functional).

3) Services such as airdrop, iCloud, automatic hotspot and integration with my AirPods.

So it's not just finding replacements on my Mac, but there will also be a ripple effect across all my other devices as well.

 

[jonnyb098]

those numbers are mainly related to older iPads bought in iPads heyday when the whole tablet line was a trend..and people just keep using them..
go read about the sales of iPads (or any tablet in general) in the past 1-2 years then come back and call my comment ignorant, because frankly, you are the ignorant here,so are you telling me sales of iPads are all good and and growing? that's laughable.because it's no secret sales are shrinking,big smart phone and ultra portable laptops already killed tablet market whether you like it or not.

I have read about sales of iPads declining hence this entire debate. iPad was the fastest selling consumer product EVER, next to the DVD player in the 90s. The market got saturated very quickly within 3 years and people still love the iPad they bought 4/5 years years ago. Hence the slowing in sales. By the way are you aware the iPad is still outselling the Mac unit for unit? This quarter they reported roughly 8.9 million iPads sold vs 4 million Macs.......but it's a dying product huh? Like it or not, you're still wrong and the iPad is a very much alive.

 

[tentales]

One has to wonder, and given Apple recent history with the Macs, people have been concerned about Apple's focus on that segment. While the news isn't' all that bad on the Mac front, its pretty hard to justify a 3k expenditure when you can buy a quality windows machine for 1/2 that.

That's exactly it!
For all the great minds that work at Apple, much of the innovation came from Steve's mind.
We've seen the slump in the 90s, the lack of innovation and plethora of different Macs, the licensing mayhem, the lack of new ideas, the frequent CEO changes.

Now the 2nd era without Steve demonstrates the same, except the eco-system and installed user base is now much stronger and larger and cross-disciplined. Videographers using FCP will stick with Macs a while longer, but I see a lot of coders & photographers leaving the platform in favour of Linux & W10 respectively. Also "casual" users that migrated away from Windows 10-15 years ago because of the iPod/iPhone effect, are now returning.

For me, this fall season will be the decider. Is Apple going to listen to its Mac user base and will the iPhone 7S/8 be a leap forward. If they keep pushing gimped tablets in favour of pro tools, I'll be leaving for good. Having pushed the price premiums across the board from 30-50% to now 75-100% over PC/Android competitors, is already a much bigger hurdle than before. I won't be spending $1000+ on new iPhone, that's for sure.
[doublepost=1494080058][/doublepost]

If the iPad's a niche, what does that make the Mac, which sells in way fewer quantities than the iPad?

An even smaller niche! MacOS accounts for around 6% (10.12->10.6)of the total PC market worldwide, Windows is still around 90%.
https://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0

Even in Apple's once so strong education market, things are diminishing:
https://9to5mac.com/2017/03/02/apple-ios-market-share-k-12-education-chrome-os/

 

[Martyimac]

I will respond to the rest of your points later in the day, but here's how I think Apple will position their iPad in the future.

Enjoying the back and forth with the other posters.
As to one consumers thoughts (mine) if  goes to ipad to replace the notebooks, then a windows notebook is in my future. As to the desktop, I am hoping against hope that  will come up with modular desktops that can be updated when components fail or need upgrading. Again, if that doesn't happen, then I will leave the  ecosystem and since all that I will have left is the iphone, then Android will be given a shot.
Honestly, I think  needs to be careful that a trickle like this doesn't become a tsunami.

 

[I7guy]

Enjoying the back and forth with the other posters.
As to one consumers thoughts (mine) if  goes to ipad to replace the notebooks, then a windows notebook is in my future. As to the desktop, I am hoping against hope that  will come up with modular desktops that can be updated when components fail or need upgrading. Again, if that doesn't happen, then I will leave the  ecosystem and since all that I will have left is the iphone, then Android will be given a shot.
Honestly, I think  needs to be careful that a trickle like this doesn't become a tsunami.

Made me think, If I had to give up my iphone, I would go in this order: blackberry, windows, ubuntu, android. So I hope it never comes to that.
[doublepost=1494084791][/doublepost]

Apparently? Sources please, since MS isn't releasing product specific sales figures you're just hoping it is so.

That's ok, keep hoping. I propose that the rMB & iPad Pro should merge and compete in the 2-in-1 segment.
Surface Book and other Pro level Laptops are far outselling MBPs especially at the high end:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/1/14451056/mac-vs-pc-high-end-market-sales-figures

Apple is in 6th place now behind Lenovo, HP, Dell, Asus and even Acer!

As far as your "niche" comment on 2-in-1 goes,
http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/your-next-laptop-should-be-a-2-in-1
It's like the cross-over SUV market now.

I believe iPads are becoming that niche.
As Pro users are starting to break free of Apple's eco-system, there will be less loyalty going forward and like the iPhone killed the iPod & separate smartphone market, the 2-in-1 fan-less hybrids will serve the lower segment of Pro users.

The iOS App store has increasingly become a cluttered, games-heavy, kids-oriented market.
Part of the decline is parents handing down iPads to junior for playtime and buying 2-in-1 or quad-core Kaby Lake PCs with horsepower. Apple has left the real Pros behind for far too long while focusing on the fashion train with the watch and fancy anodized colours and of course the iPhone as it's single biggest revenue stream.

Don't forget, I'm no Apple hater, I've been pro Apple for 30+ years, but I'm looking at the current trends and nothing Apple's done lately is compelling me to buy anything beyond my current iPhone SE, iPad Air 2, Mac Mini & 13" rMBP 2015. Apple just isn't exciting anymore.

The creative pros like this guy here lament over the same:
https://petapixel.com/2017/03/15/tray-ratcliff-says-apple-dead-explains-switched/
While I haven't thrown in the towel just yet (waiting for one more upgrade cycle), I am disappointed overall with Apple's direction and seriously looking for a smooth transition away from the walled garden.

My friend has a Lenovo 2-in-1. I played around with it. Not for me. I'd rather get a surface pro (which I did anyway or an equivalent would have been fine, but the sp4 is very good).

As far as where apple goes with the mac desktop, since July 22, 2009(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7), apple was put on notice. That was the beginning of the end. I have two MacBook Air Pros in the house and use them as needed.

I like the integration and it's kind of cool and useful at the same time. But that integration costs and in the meantime, Microsoft has been working on Windows 10 and seems to be making meaningful functional updates; such as ubuntu on windows, windows on arm. Attempting to totally knock out the competition with a windows everywhere. We'll see if it works.

 

[wolfshades]

Tablets are boring

The iPhone is ahead of the iPad, and it's a central device
and when I need a big screen to do real work I use a notebook

In my case, the moment I purchased a Kindle, my iPad use decreased dramatically. Seems Tim is going to have to come with compelling reasons to purchase/upgrade their iPad lineup to make them a "must buy" again. I'm sure he can but I'm stumped if I know how he'll do it.

 

[I7guy]

In my case, the moment I purchased a Kindle, my iPad use decreased dramatically. Seems Tim is going to have to come with compelling reasons to purchase/upgrade their iPad lineup to make them a "must buy" again. I'm sure he can but I'm stumped if I know how he'll do it.

In my case, we had a kindle, I purchased an ipad and now the Kindle isn't used. The ipad is just more well rounded, such as it is.

 

[ColdShadow]

If the iPad's a niche, what does that make the Mac, which sells in way fewer quantities than the iPad?

I said it is heading that direction,not just yet..

Also it's important to note Im referring to all tablets as a product line,including iPads.
so your Mac comparison is irrelevant,unless you include all PCs..

Mac is a computer and they will live on,they serve their purpose,and are available in various form factors.they are irreplaceable.

iPad/other tablets tho,easily being replaced by phablets even standard size phones for majority of their user base.

 

[Precursor]

I will respond to the rest of your points later in the day, but here's how I think Apple will position their iPad in the future.

Oh! A 27" iPad Pro? With the same thickness? I'd buy in a heart beat!