Apple's iPad Sales Up 15% Year-Over-Year in 3Q 2017

[JPack]

Well, no. The old strategy of adding Touch ID to the mini 3 and calling it a 4, adding a chip to the Air and calling it and Air 2 was killing sales. Most people are not going to spend hundreds of $ to update to essentially the same device. This year's crop of iPads is really the first "all new" line up since the Air and Mini 2.

The mini 4 received big upgrades: laminated display, increased color gamut, thinner chassis, A8, 2GB RAM. Consumers responded negatively and it did nothing except continue the slide in iPad sales.

The Air 2 was overpriced for what it offered.

The 2017 iPad ($329) isn't all new except for the price. I think it's pretty clear consumers are responding positively to the low price and 9.7" display.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Well, no. The old strategy of adding Touch ID to the mini 3 and calling it a 4, adding a chip to the Air and calling it and Air 2 was killing sales. Most people are not going to spend hundreds of $ to update to essentially the same device. This year's crop of iPads is really the first "all new" line up since the Air and Mini 2.

Make it compelling, like the iPhone 2 year cycle, and people will upgrade. You're absolutely right. I had an iPad (original), and then an IPad 3 (bought it from my daughter), and the 10.5in IPP blows it away.

It's too bad that it takes a 4-5 year cycle to make it compelling.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

I'm one of those new iPad owners. The new 10.5 iPad Pro with iOS 11 sold me.

I've owned an iPad in the past (3 years ago) ... but I ended up selling it because it didn't really keep me using it on a daily basis. This new 10.5 has been my new go-to device. I use it more than my iPhone and MacBook Air now.

Why? what is it about the 10.5 that reinvented the ipad for you? Same iOS, same everything except faster, right?

 

[MacSince1985]

The iPad is not something most users update every year or two like a phone. My iPad 2 is still running well after 6 years. The only issue being that today's apps are less efficient and more resource-hungry. Like many, I was waiting for the 2nd generation Pro models before upgrading and I was not disappointed.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

The mini 4 received big upgrades: laminated display, increased color gamut, thinner chassis, A8, 2GB RAM. Consumers responded negatively and it did nothing except continue the slide in iPad sales.

The Air 2 was overpriced for what it offered.

The 2017 iPad ($329) isn't all new except for the price. I think it's pretty clear consumers are responding positively to the low price and 9.7" display.

On paper the mini 4 might look like a big upgrade. To consumers, they didn't see that. I owned both a mini 2 and mini 4 at the same time and other than Touch ID the user experience was pretty much the same.

The Air 2's price points were exactly the same as the Air so I'm unsure what you are talking about when you say the Air 2 was overpriced for what it offered. It offered Touch ID, thinner, chassis, A8X, 2GB RAM. Somehow that is a major upgrade for the mini 4 but not the Air 2? The Air 2 wasn't too expensive -- it was less than the iPad Pro 9.7 that succeeded it -- it was just too similar to the Air.

iPad isn't all that new, but I didn't say new iPad, I said all new iPad lineup -- that includes every iPad model. Only the mini 4 remains pretty much the same, just a storage boost. Everything else is different, the Pro line vastly improved, and I think a $299 iPad (street price) is something new.

 

[wizard]

Good. The new 10.5inch is fantastic and iOS11 is a good few steps forward for the platform.

I'm just glad that Apple is taking their tie with IOS improvements on iPad to get everything right.

By the way I think the end game with iPad is a Knowledge Navigator like device but they need to wait for hardware to catch up to what is required for that sort of AI like interaction.

 

[pdaholic]

Apple finally makes an iPad and operating system that is worthy of using more often than a laptop, and suddenly sales are up...who would have thunk it?!?

Love my 10.5, smart keyboard, and iOS11!

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Make it compelling, like the iPhone 2 year cycle, and people will upgrade. You're absolutely right. I had an iPad (original), and then an IPad 3 (bought it from my daughter), and the 10.5in IPP blows it away.

It's too bad that it takes a 4-5 year cycle to make it compelling.

Yeah, I don't think it takes 4-5 years, I just think Apple wasn't sure how to go forward with it. Hopefully it's found it's way and regular upgrade cycles, be it 1 year, 18 months, or 2 years.

 

[wizard]

Good to hear the new iPad low/high strategy is working.

The old strategy of iPad mini 3, mini 4, and Air 2 was killing sales performance quarter after quarter.

That had little to do with it. The fact is when iPad first came out here where mannerly adopters on a devices that wasn't exactly there yet. it literally took a few revisions to get to the point where performance justified holding onto the device for more than two generations. Now we are seeing a hardware releases that is compelling thus driving sales above the base level for iPads. Once the upgrades are done sales will slip back down a bit. It simply is the way of tech gadgets.

 

[DotCom2]

I will have to read about all this later but did they give any hints on guidance for the next quarter relating to delays on the next iPhone?

 

[Mainsail]

I think it is a great time to buy an iPad. Consider the base model iPad 5th gen, which you can find for under $300, compared to the original iPad:

• 2gb RAM vs 250mb
• 32 GB storage vs 16GB
• Retina Display vs Standard HD Display
• 1 lb. vs 1.5lbs
• .29 in thick vs .5 in
• Front and rear cameras vs no camera
• Auto sleep/wake
• Touch ID and Apple Wallet
• Air Play and Air Printing
• Handoff and Continuity
• Multitasking Gestures & Virtual Trackpad
• Multiple Apps with Slide over & App switcher
• iCloud, iCloud Drive and wireless backups
• Attach multiple files to an email
• iMessage and FaceTime
• Collaboration
• Notifications
• Control Center
• Picture in picture capability
• Find my iPhone or iPad and Find my Friends
• Improvements/refinements to iWork, iMovie, Photo, etc.
• Coming to iOS 11: drag/drop, dock, improved virtual keyboard, File App
• $330 vs $500 entry level pricing

The basic iPad has become so much more capable over time, and the software is finally catching up. I think there are tons of people that can get by with just the base iPad and no computer for their personal needs (work is another story, since it depends on your job responsibilities and your employer......so let them buy your work computer).

 

[lec0rsaire]

The new iPad pros are impressive. I'll be upgrading from the Air 1 soon. The variable refresh rate has to be seen in person. Just outstanding and iOS 11 will make the iPad more capable than ever. I just hope that they still put resources into Macs in the next decade. As much as I like iPads and iOS, i love macs and MacOS much more.

 

[wizard]

The new 10.5" iPad Pro is stunning. This isn't surprising at all. Make an insanely great product and get insanely great profits. It felt like the iPad had stagnated a bit there in terms of innovation.

iPad seems to have been victim of the same stupidity at apple that has driven other products into the ground. That is sales slip a bit and they say screw it we won't update it this year then sales slip even more. Many products at Apple have ended up in this nasty spiral, look a the Mac Mini, iMac, Mac Pro, iPod Touch and other hardware that ends up neglected and at risk of being discontinued. iPad mini is also a perfect example having no really impressive upgrade to its guts in some time.

This thing is about as fast as a MBP and is finally getting some pro-level design software. Affinity Photo (Designer coming soon) and Lightroom are incredible. Factoring in the beautiful HDR display, ProMotion, Apple Pencil, amazing battery life, and iOS 11 overhaul and you can't go wrong with this device.

Sadly I busted my last iPad and haven't been able to push a new one into the budget. Given that Software is a huge factor on iPad. I just wish Apple would support an applications wide scripting solution so that we can run power user scripts in various apps as needed. Scripting would be huge on iPad for more advanced users.

I'm really enjoying it and use it more than my MBP at home now.

Yeah believe me I miss mine even more.

 

[Caviar_X]

I'm one of those new iPad owners. The new 10.5 iPad Pro with iOS 11 sold me.

I've owned an iPad in the past (3 years ago) ... but I ended up selling it because it didn't really keep me using it on a daily basis. This new 10.5 has been my new go-to device. I use it more than my iPhone and MacBook Air now.

Same. Finally upgraded after I bought the iPad 3 last week.

 

[lec0rsaire]

I think it is a great time to buy an iPad. Consider the base model iPad 5th gen, which you can find for under $300, compared to the original iPad:

• 2gb RAM vs 250mb
• 32 GB storage vs 16GB
• Retina Display vs Standard HD Display
• 1 lb. vs 1.5lbs
• .29 in thick vs .5 in
• Front and rear cameras vs no camera
• Auto sleep/wake
• Touch ID and Apple Wallet
• Air Play and Air Printing
• Handoff and Continuity
• Multitasking Gestures & Virtual Trackpad
• Multiple Apps with Slide over & App switcher
• iCloud, iCloud Drive and wireless backups
• Attach multiple files to an email
• iMessage and FaceTime
• Collaboration
• Notifications
• Control Center
• Picture in picture capability
• Find my iPhone or iPad and Find my Friends
• Improvements/refinements to iWork, iMovie, Photo, etc.
• Coming to iOS 11: drag/drop, dock, improved virtual keyboard, File App
• $330 vs $500 entry level pricing

The basic iPad has become so much more capable over time, and the software is finally catching up. I think there are tons of people that can get by with just the base iPad and no computer for their personal needs (work is another story, since it depends on your job responsibilities and your employer......so let them buy your work computer).

I agree. The $329 iPad is the best value Apple offers. The A9 is extremely capable and it can handle nearly anything except drawing with the Apple Pencil. That's the only deal breaker but only really applies to artists. It's been a while since they offered this kind of value for so little. The old upgradeable mac mini is the only other product I can think of.

 

[wizard]

The mini 4 received big upgrades: laminated display, increased color gamut, thinner chassis, A8, 2GB RAM. Consumers responded negatively and it did nothing except continue the slide in iPad sales.

That upgrade, if you really want to call it one, sucked bad. I'm sorry 2GB of RAM is a joke in any iPad or even an iPhone these days and an A8 isn't much of an upgrade for a graphically oriented tablet.

This just highlights my point made in other posts, Apple routinely does the wrong thing when sales are waning on a product. Apple had people waiting for a viable and really upgrade and instead they delivered Mini 4. In a nut shell the product didn't meet user expectations for a viable upgrade.

The Air 2 was overpriced for what it offered.

All iPads could be called overpriced. If you try to upgrade them you are certainly getting ripped off.

The 2017 iPad ($329) isn't all new except for the price. I think it's pretty clear consumers are responding positively to the low price and 9.7" display.

Well we will see once we see a full quarters sales for the new iPads. Apple certainly has a bit of learning to do with respect to proper pricing.

 

[TMRJIJ]

Good to hear the new iPad low/high strategy is working.

The old strategy of iPad mini 3, mini 4, and Air 2 was killing sales performance quarter after quarter.

Well, no. The old strategy of adding Touch ID to the mini 3 and calling it a 4, adding a chip to the Air and calling it and Air 2 was killing sales. Most people are not going to spend hundreds of $ to update to essentially the same device. This year's crop of iPads is really the first "all new" line up since the Air and Mini 2.

The mini 4 received big upgrades: laminated display, increased color gamut, thinner chassis, A8, 2GB RAM. Consumers responded negatively and it did nothing except continue the slide in iPad sales.

The Air 2 was overpriced for what it offered.

The 2017 iPad ($329) isn't all new except for the price. I think it's pretty clear consumers are responding positively to the low price and 9.7" display.

I don’t know what you guys are talking about. The Air 2 was an absolute beast of a tablet and it wasn’t really expensive considering the specs at that time. iPad 2, Air 2, and the new 10.5 iPad Pro are among the best Apple has offered in the tablet market.

 

[NinjaHERO]

Love my new IPad. Paired with the Logictech keyboard, almost the perfect Laptop replacement. Just needs a mousepad. I know that's a huge programming change to give it a mouse pointer. But that's really the last thing I need to make this a true replacement for my laptop.

 

[UltimaKilo]

The last iPad i owned was the iPad3. This has been the best update since that upgrade. However, I'm happy with the latest Kindle Fire as a tablet. However, the new direction of the iPad has me thinking about picking one up should the software open up a tiny bit more, the graphics are improved upon and Apple adds at least 3GB of RAM.

Within 2-3 years, especially with the improvements of 10nm+, I can see the iPad replacing the MacBook.

 

[ErikGrim]

I'm one of those new iPad owners. The new 10.5 iPad Pro with iOS 11 sold me.

I've owned an iPad in the past (3 years ago) ... but I ended up selling it because it didn't really keep me using it on a daily basis. This new 10.5 has been my new go-to device. I use it more than my iPhone and MacBook Air now.

Count me in on this as well. I've owned an iPad Air for the last years, but it has been exclusively used for DJing. The new 10.5 Pro with smart case and a pencil now is my daily driver. Selling new MBP with TouchBar as it is way overkill for our mobile needs (also have 5K iMac for pro use).

 

[JPack]

Well we will see once we see a full quarters sales for the new iPads. Apple certainly has a bit of learning to do with respect to proper pricing.

We've already witnessed a full quarter of 9.7" iPad (2017) sales. The product was launched March 2017.

iPad sales are back to life after 14 consecutive months of decline. This is in contrast to the quarter after quarter of declines with the mini 4 and the Air 2.

 

[Aluminum213]

I'm sure everyone is purchasing based on features that aren't available to regular users. Very sure.

People have the internet, they know about iOS 11

 

[JPack]

That upgrade, if you really want to call it one, sucked bad. I'm sorry 2GB of RAM is a joke in any iPad or even an iPhone these days and an A8 isn't much of an upgrade for a graphically oriented tablet.

This just highlights my point made in other posts, Apple routinely does the wrong thing when sales are waning on a product. Apple had people waiting for a viable and really upgrade and instead they delivered Mini 4. In a nut shell the product didn't meet user expectations for a viable upgrade.

Except there wasn't a single poor review for the mini 4.

The 2GB RAM you call a "joke" is the amount in the 9.7" iPad (2017). Like it or not, it helped lift iPad sales back to growth.

 

[canadianreader]

I bought the new iPad Pro 10.5 running iOS 11 very happy with it I use it more than my desktop and iPhone combined I didn't buy an iPad in years when this baby came out I didnt waste much time and I bought it. Very happy with it!!!

 

[cgsnipinva]

The increase in sales reflects the work done on both hardware and software. The iPad hardware packs a lot of power and capability into a very light and compact form factor. However, the software (iOS 11 in particular) is where Apple sets itself apart. IOS11 in conjunction with the improvement to iWork (I hope those continue) and in Notes/Mail —- the iPad stands out as the most productive tablet on the market. It is the most secure and most coherent tablet software stack.

Android tablets are seriously behind and I don’t think will close the gap. If Apple continues to invest in the iPad features of iOS and continue to include more powerful features in iWork, Photos, Mail and Notes — it will become an established platform.