iPad Mini Manufacturer Sees Weaker Demand for the Tablet This Quarter [Updated]

[DesertEagle]

I assume this is just opinion and not fact.

Pure speculation on my part, it should not be taken for a fact. I'm no analyst.

 

[Sedrick]

Cannot wait for the refresh. The Mini is hands down the best tablet I've ever owned.

Most people would consider this reason to not upgrade and keep using what they have. First world problems I guess.

To that point, I'm trying to think what in heaven Apple could do to the iPad to make me want to upgrade from my iPad 2. Not going to do it for 'retina' and won't do it for a thinner border and certainly not for a finger print scanner.

Now, if they get on with some crackin' new OS that won't run on the iPad 2, that might do it. Otherwise, they got nothing new I want.

 

[Tigger11]

And the edge of ios in terms of the app ecosystem is more of a myth than reality, because actual usage scenarios show that the extra apps available for purchase on the app store are very seldom used.

Where are these studies you are quoting from, because everything presented on this site and others (and my families use of Apps) would suggest your theory should be nominated for Tall Tale of the Month on Macrumors which you should win easily and if someone doesnt come in with some huge tale in June, then you will win for the first half of 2013 as well.
-Tig

 

[Xiroteus]

A generation thought on displays. They do not even have to go to some crazy ppi just better then where they currently are, same goes for the Macbook Air, even 1080P would be a good update from their current dated resolution far too many systems are using.

Not sure how one does not really notice the higher ppi from the iPad 2 vs the iPad 3, I went from the 3GS to the 4S and I see a HUGE difference, crystal clean level difference.

 

[IJ Reilly]

The author, according to the CEO, purposely attributed a quote from the CEO as being about iPad mini when it was not. That quote was the basis of much of the article and the headline.

Not sure how you "figured it out" that the CEO was not talking about the iPad mini when the author and the headline clearly said that he was.

Evidently, it was misleading enough that Elmer-DeWitt and MacRumors felt the need to correct it.

By reading the entire thing. That's all I can say.

 

[gnasher729]

After reading the update, which basically says that the "weaker demand for iPad Mini" was just the invention of the reporter, shouldn't the thread title be changed?

 

[macman34]

Where are these studies you are quoting from, because everything presented on this site and others (and my families use of Apps) would suggest your theory should be nominated for Tall Tale of the Month on Macrumors which you should win easily and if someone doesnt come in with some huge tale in June, then you will win for the first half of 2013 as well.
-Tig

so you mean to tell me that your family and friends use 80-90% of the apps they have on their ios devices? I've not met a single person who used more than 30% of their apps if they 've downloaded a considerable amount of apps.

What I am saying, which you don't seem to get, is that if someone goes for 10 or so apps, these will be pretty much standard and 95% of the time they will be available on android too. If someone is the type of user who 'll try 100+ apps or so, they are not going to be using more than a small % of them, so the fact that they downloaded something that quite possibly exists for ios but not for android, is immaterial as they are not going to be using it in all probability anyway.

 

[Oletros]

Until the quarterly report, this is only speculation

 

[BaldiMac]

so you mean to tell me that your family and friends use 80-90% of the apps they have on their ios devices? I've not met a single person who used more than 30% of their apps if they 've downloaded a considerable amount of apps.

What I am saying, which you don't seem to get, is that if someone goes for 10 or so apps, these will be pretty much standard and 95% of the time they will be available on android too. If someone is the type of user who 'll try 100+ apps or so, they are not going to be using more than a small % of them, so the fact that they downloaded something that quite possibly exists for ios but not for android, is immaterial as they are not going to be using it in all probability anyway.

While that may be true on smartphones, tablets are a different story. iPad Apps are in a different class then android apps at this point.

But the point of the long tail of apps isn't that you use them all the time, it's that those specialized apps that only a few people like or need for a special occasion or use case are available.

 

[the8thark]

Articles like this are not a problem if you read carefully and without prejudice. If you read casually, only looking to confirm what you already believe, then just about everything will seem to be misleading.

Wrong. I come here reading what people think might be true. But all I get is people telling me they know things are true. Most of us here realise anything that is not from the mouth of Apple can't be reliably trusted. But some people who read these articles might not realised and be fooled into thinking these rumours are actually truth.

 

[macman34]

While that may be true on smartphones, tablets are a different story. iPad Apps are in a different class then android apps at this point.

This is simply not the case. Your stating is as fact doesn't lend your opinion any extra weight. I have a lot of friends who I tried dissuading for a while about opting for an android tablet. Some of them did end up buying one, and upon playing around with their tabs for a while to check them out I found an abundance of specialized apps on android. I found that surprising but it's been a long time since android as tablet os has been around, and probably it shouldn't have surprised me the variety of apps.

But the point of the long tail of apps isn't that you use them all the time, it's that those specialized apps that only a few people like or need for a special occasion or use case are available.

I am not refering to the apps that are specialized (but see above about these too) but I am refering to the tens of apps on ios that do pretty much the same thing with slight variations, and that some overzealous users may download and then seldom use.

There's so much you can do with a computer. Having 1000 converter or note taking or clock apps or rss apps, as opposed to 100 converter or note taking or etc. apps in a store doesn't offer any concrete advantage.

If that were the case then windows which has multiple times over the available software than os x does would be a clear winner. But it's not. Because there's a certain limit whereafter it makes no difference.

So, you and apple can decide which way you want to have it. Either windows is much more usefull than os x due to the much greater app number divide there is with os x (much greater than ios vs android) AND ios is much better than android in terms of tablets.

OR

Both windows and os x, android and ios are on an equal footing when it comes to apps because after a certain number of apps it becomes immaterial how many apps each platform does.

So, be my guest and choose from:

1. Windows >>>>> OS X AND ios >>>>>>>> Android

or

2. Windows = OS X AND ios = Android

No amount of twisting my argument around btw can enable you to have a thrid choice, because it's as clear as daylight there is no third choice.

 

[pundit]

No amount of twisting my argument around btw can enable you to have a thrid choice, because it's as clear as daylight there is no third choice.

Windows and OS X are on X86 hardware and have a much bigger usage case. In business there is an awful lot of AD management software that doesn't exist on the OS X side. There is a ton of storage management and control software... that doesn't exist on OS X. There is a ton of industrial control software... that doesn't exist on OSX.

OS X has basically given up on the enterprise software end (some exists, but its niche and not best-in-class.) Even in OS X's wheelhouse, consumer grade software, OS X is woefully underrepresented in the gaming category. If you want an X86 system for gaming, you probably want Windows.

Android and iOS are different. They are designed for, and solely used on mobile devices for consumers. Does iOS probably have a bit more strength in a few app areas? Yeah. The vast majority of users however, can do precisely the same thing with both iOS and android, however.

Thats the third option. X86 = consumer + enterprise software ARM = consumer software

 

[macman34]

Windows and OS X are on X86 hardware and have a much bigger usage case. In business there is an awful lot of AD management software that doesn't exist on the OS X side. There is a ton of storage management and control software... that doesn't exist on OS X. There is a ton of industrial control software... that doesn't exist on OSX.

OS X has basically given up on the enterprise software end (some exists, but its niche and not best-in-class.) Even in OS X's wheelhouse, consumer grade software, OS X is woefully underrepresented in the gaming category. If you want an X86 system for gaming, you probably want Windows.

Android and iOS are different. They are designed for, and solely used on mobile devices for consumers. Does iOS probably have a bit more strength in a few app areas? Yeah. The vast majority of users however, can do precisely the same thing with both iOS and android, however.

Thats the third option. X86 = consumer + enterprise software ARM = consumer software

Ok, you agree with me then. I also agree with what you said and I am fully aware how these distinctions you are making apply.

I oversimplified to make a point though, and in my counter argument on a very specific question: Is ios and android now on an equal footing when it comes to apps? Because apple and apple fans can't claim os x being a superior os (whatever the hell that means) to windows despite the app advantage being in favour of windows, yet at the same time claim ios being better than android due to the fact that the app advantage lies with ios.

(Of course apple are known to do that, the double standard thing when it serves them. Case in point, they claim they are not increasing iphone screen size that much so you can hold it one hand unlike other phones, and then go on to claim that you can hold a tablet like the ipad mini in one hand (since it's their tablet...), and go as far as making ad photos about it)

So, while I completely agree with your analysis it's not really a third option, it's a more accurate more encompassing analysis than mine, but one structured to give a more in detail look at windows vs. os x vs. ios vs. android in terms of usage scenarios. It's a different discussion in essence. I was illustrating a point via simplification, you are expanding on the argument but separating it from having to be a bare bones direct rebuttal to io's app ecosystem as a major advantage over android.

 

[BaldiMac]

This is simply not the case. Your stating is as fact doesn't lend your opinion any extra weight. I have a lot of friends who I tried dissuading for a while about opting for an android tablet. Some of them did end up buying one, and upon playing around with their tabs for a while to check them out I found an abundance of specialized apps on android. I found that surprising but it's been a long time since android as tablet os has been around, and probably it shouldn't have surprised me the variety of apps.

I was not referring to the variety of apps, but the quality of the apps that are adapted specifically for the tablet form factor. Apple currently has a huge advantage in that area. Many popular apps on Android are simply a bigger version of the smartphone app.

I am not refering to the apps that are specialized (but see above about these too) but I am refering to the tens of apps on ios that do pretty much the same thing with slight variations, and that some overzealous users may download and then seldom use.

There's so much you can do with a computer. Having 1000 converter or note taking or clock apps or rss apps, as opposed to 100 converter or note taking or etc. apps in a store doesn't offer any concrete advantage.

If that were the case then windows which has multiple times over the available software than os x does would be a clear winner. But it's not. Because there's a certain limit whereafter it makes no difference.

So, you and apple can decide which way you want to have it. Either windows is much more usefull than os x due to the much greater app number divide there is with os x (much greater than ios vs android) AND ios is much better than android in terms of tablets.

OR

Both windows and os x, android and ios are on an equal footing when it comes to apps because after a certain number of apps it becomes immaterial how many apps each platform does.

So, be my guest and choose from:

1. Windows >>>>> OS X AND ios >>>>>>>> Android

or

2. Windows = OS X AND ios = Android

No amount of twisting my argument around btw can enable you to have a thrid choice, because it's as clear as daylight there is no third choice.

I'm pretty sure what you expected me to say, but it's clear to me that the long tail of apps on Windows are a significant advantage over OS X.

 

[macman34]

I was not referring to the variety of apps, but the quality of the apps that are adapted specifically for the tablet form factor. Apple currently has a huge advantage in that area. Many popular apps on Android are simply a bigger version of the smartphone app.

That was circa the ipad mini's release date, it's not the case right now. Right now even microsoft has native looking major tablet apps for the surface. You are obviously not currently using an android tablet. All the apps I used on the androids I 've played with in the past few months were excellent native looking apps.

I'm pretty sure what you expected me to say, but it's clear to me that the long tail of apps on Windows are a significant advantage over OS X.

Well, the galloping rates of increase in mac sales over the past few years, dwarfing similar pc stats, prove you wrong. They demontrate that for the vast majority of people this is a non issue, and that the platform (os x) has just enough apps for them. And the vast majority of people do not feel they have to use bootcamp or any virtualization software either.

But again, you can keep your opinions stated as facts, but please allow me to just keep the facts that contradict your opinions.

Android has arrived in the tablet scene, and the app ecosystem is virtually a non issue for the vast majority of people.

 

[BaldiMac]

That was circa the ipad mini's release date, it's not the case right now. Right now even microsoft has native looking major tablet apps for the surface. You are obviously not currently using an android tablet. All the apps I used on the androids I 've played with in the past few months were excellent native looking apps.

Nice anecdote. Any evidence?

Well, the galloping rates of increase in mac sales over the past few years, dwarfing similar pc stats, prove you wrong. They demontrate that for the vast majority of people this is a non issue, and that the platform (os x) has just enough apps for them.

I'm not sure how that proves me wrong, since nothing you said contradicts my point - the long tale is about fringe use cases, not popular ones.

 

[macman34]

Nice anecdote. Any evidence?



I'm not sure how that proves me wrong, since nothing you said contradicts my point - the long tale is about fringe use cases, not popular ones.

Ok, here's my reply, and my final word on this one, because you seem to have a tendency to push on with your claim despite being effectively rebutted, and I 'll be tiring the rest of the users of this forum too, with this pointless back and forth, and I don't want to do that.

a. My evidence comes from actually using plenty of android tablet devices over the past month. Apparently your evidence is in the form of the keynote given by the objective Phil Schiller quite a few months ago.

b. This is really a last resort position you are taking here, it's like us taking a walk out when the sun is shinning and you looking at it and telling me, oh where is it, I don't see it.

It proves you categorically and conclusively wrong because mac sales demontrate that fringe use case apps are not a deterant for the overwhelmingly vast majority of customers to buy into a platform. Whether you consider this a significant advantage of one (any) os over the other, the consumer market doesn't see it that way. That's why os x usage and mac sales have grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, and that's why android is on such an accelerating rise in sales in the tablet market, and it's app ecosystem is for all intents and purposes as good as ios's.


bye bye.

 

[BaldiMac]

a. My evidence comes from actually using plenty of android tablet devices over the past month. Apparently your evidence is in the form of the keynote given by the objective Phil Schiller quite a few months ago.

I support multiple Android tablets, which means nothing more than your anecdote. I haven't seen any significant changes since October.

We both seem to agree my statement was true in Oct 2012. Feel free to provide evidence of significant changes since then.

It proves you categorically and conclusively wrong because mac sales demontrate that fringe use case apps are not a deterant for the overwhelmingly vast majority of customers to buy into a platform. Whether you consider this a significant advantage of one (any) os over the other, the consumer market doesn't see it that way. That's why os x usage and mac sales have grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, and that's why android is on such an accelerating rise in sales in the tablet market, and it's app ecosystem is for all intents and purposes as good as ios's.

I think you are arguing with something that someone else posted because nothing you said contradicts my point. I don't think fringe use case apps are a deterant for the overwhelmingly vast majority of customers to buy into a platform. Hence the word "fringe".



EDIT: I'm guessing you are confusing my comments with Tigger11.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Wrong. I come here reading what people think might be true. But all I get is people telling me they know things are true. Most of us here realise anything that is not from the mouth of Apple can't be reliably trusted. But some people who read these articles might not realised and be fooled into thinking these rumours are actually truth.

Not sure if you're trying to be facetious. Even if you are not, I have to ask: who cares what gullible people believe? Don't be gullible yourself, and the situation is under control.

 

[the8thark]

Not sure if you're trying to be facetious. Even if you are not, I have to ask: who cares what gullible people believe? Don't be gullible yourself, and the situation is under control.

I agree. But when the gullible ones are writing the articles . . .

 

[geta]

This is simply not the case. Your stating is as fact doesn't lend your opinion any extra weight. I have a lot of friends who I tried dissuading for a while about opting for an android tablet. Some of them did end up buying one, and upon playing around with their tabs for a while to check them out I found an abundance of specialized apps on android. I found that surprising but it's been a long time since android as tablet os has been around, and probably it shouldn't have surprised me the variety of apps.

Dont know where you bringing all this (no power to quote all the rubbish you wrote till now) , but as an owner of android tablet (new Galaxy tab 2), i must say its a useless machine compare to ipad -
i cant connect it to my mac (for backup,sync,moving files) - this 'android file transfer' app not working... at list once a day i need to restart it coz it get stuck, or the clock freezing... Skype always crashing if im using it along side with other apps (no matter which version im using)... i can't even root it, coz for this i need to have pc...

I was not referring to the variety of apps, but the quality of the apps that are adapted specifically for the tablet form factor. Apple currently has a huge advantage in that area. Many popular apps on Android are simply a bigger version of the smartphone app.

Im with you about this, the quality of the apps for android are below average... i couldn't find useful apps no matter how much i was looking, even the ones i found, turned out to be stretched version and not really build for tablets...
looks like all the apps i wanted to use if im having a tablet dont have an android version at all (for example apps from Moog and Korg...) and the few i did find, are a slim down version compare to ios versions...

And let not talk about how annoying all this google\android system working, ppl always told me its ways better coz its open system compare to ios, but it turns out being the opposite... maybe its working fain on phones, but at this point its not ready for tablets...

In the end im finding myself using it only for basic internet surfing and remote for itunes - all this i could do with my old ipod touch 3G, actually i can do more coz the skype never crash... so im planning to sell it and replace it with ipad mini.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I agree. But when the gullible ones are writing the articles . . .

Then what? Most journalism these days is some combination of sloppy, vague, and banal. Nothing much a reader can do but be aware of this trend, and not try to explain every failure to be clear, concise and accurate as some sort of conspiracy.

 

[Rogifan]

I agree. But when the gullible ones are writing the articles . . .

Bloomberg isn't gullible, they have an agenda. Just the other day they put up a story with this headline:

Harvard Liquidates Apple Stake After iPhone Sales Lose Steam

According to Philip Elmer-Dewitt, Harvard's stake in Apple before the sale amounted to a total of 571 shares, 0.03% of the university's $30.7 billion endowment, and according to Bloomberg the liquidation netted a total of $304,000.

This isn't people being naive or gullible. This is the media having an agenda. And the agenda is negative stories about Apple drive page views, so the more negative stories we write the more site clicks we'll get.

I'm just waiting for the day when this happens to, oh I don't know, maybe another very successful company, like Samsung. But so far the media has decided Samsung = good and Apple = bad.

 

[tongxinshe]

Can u tell me some that i don't have on Android ? or i dont have same or better equivalent?

Let's face it, IOS stuck at some point with boring UI, lack of customization options and so on. Android is evolving every day with new extensions (no matter if good/bad/slow/fast but they are there!) and opening the android source to the public makes small/big/medium publishers/geniuses to create outstanding innovative applications/extensions.

Android openes also to new hardware, and manufacturers are using this opportunity. SGS4 got plenty of sensors, plenty of additional software/hardware that is using them. Its called innovation, and idea. At this point, apple doesnt have "an idea" and "innovations"

If they have, can someone point it? you are all arguing about other vendors but can really someone tell what innovations apple has? - i don't see any.


Adam

What Android misses is the simplicity, while keeping the high usability level. For a lot of so-called non-tech-savvy normal customers, which is 80% of all of the customers, that simplicity/usability combination is very important!

 

[macman34]

Dont know where you bringing all this (no power to quote all the rubbish you wrote till now) , but as an owner of android tablet (new Galaxy tab 2), i must say its a useless machine compare to ipad -
i cant connect it to my mac (for backup,sync,moving files) - this 'android file transfer' app not working... at list once a day i need to restart it coz it get stuck, or the clock freezing... Skype always crashing if im using it along side with other apps (no matter which version im using)... i can't even root it, coz for this i need to have pc...

"...coz, it's like this guy is talking rubbish but I can't be bodered to quote him it's l8 and whatever..."

Sadly, you an me man have to coexist in the same market apple caters to...