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

[jm001]

It's really not about the phones and their size (though it does play a part), it's mostly about the previous models performing just as well as the newer models. Apple makes the iPad thinner and sure boosts the CPU and maybe increase the RAM, but overall it's not that much of a boost over the previous model. If it can run iOS just as well and smoothly as the previous iPad and run the apps just as well, why bother spending money on something that'll replace something that is only a year old? Why wife still uses her iPad 2 and it runs iOS8 pretty smoothly (and that's several generations ago). I find it just as usable as my daughter's iPad mini 2nd gen. Apple should only release newer models if they make significant changes to it. Now the latest iPad Air does have more memory, a newer CPU and finally touch ID, however people bought last years model so financially it wouldn't make sense to upgrade again.

 

[thekeyring]

I wonder if Apple needs to bring the iPad closer to the Mac in terms of functionality. I don't mean cram OS X onto it. But update iOS adding iPad features that make it much more than an iPhone with a large screen. PhotoBooth was a baby step in that direction. Same with hardware: Make it much more powerful, or add in plenty more RAM.

Plus, Apple themselves seem less interested in the iPad these days. With the first three generations, we got one of those videos where everyone is interviewed against a white background, iPad would make headline news, people would queue up on release day.

That has continued for the iPhone, but not the iPad. Given how good Apple are at ensuring their products become a part of popular culture, I wonder if this is partly intentional?

 

[MaulRx]

They'll follow the same trend with Apple Watch as well. We'll get a "new" version every 10 months or so that really doesn't do anything different then the last.

 

[Mike Oxard]

I am clearly not mainstream. If asked what I would give up first it would be iPhone, iPad, Mac. With the Mac being the last and the iPhone the first.

I'd be Mac, iPhone, iPad. In fact I've already stopped using my MacBook, I can do all I need at home on the iPad, and I've got a PC at work. For the college work I do the iPad has been invaluable for storing reading material and creating pdf's.

Having said that, I've just upgraded my iPad from a 3 to an Air 2, and my iPhone 4 was still going strong(ish) when I upgraded to the 6.

 

[mattopotamus]

I am sure apple will learn from this and change the release cycle to ~18 months. People treat tablets like laptops and keep them for years

I am in the camp that uses my ipad as a laptop replacement. In fact, I find myself watching shows on my tablet more than my actual TV.

 

[thekeyring]

I'll never understand why people think a desktop OS designed for mouse/keyboard should be put on a tablet. It makes zero sense to me. If "true multitasking" is required for a "pro" tablet then it should be incorporated into iOS.

THANK YOU! Someone who sees sense. If the iPad is lacking something that OS X has, Apple can add the feature to iOS.

 

[2457282]

I think that until Apple gives more laptop functionalty, sales will continue to decline, especially as they are now selling phablets (iPhone 6+). Give me a keyboard cover and true mulitasking. Apple need to release this soon. At this point, canabalization of the laptop should not be a concern. They can sell way more iPads versus laptops.

 

[Woodcrest64]

Zero software innovation in YEARS, decline in sales

Who woulda thunk

Yeah, the hardware has gotten faster but the iPad doesn't really do that much more than when it first came out. iOS has always felt more geared towards the iPhone than the iPad. I'm hoping Apple plans on changing that this year with iOS 9.

 

[thekeyring]

Tablets never made sense to me.

Laptop - full blown OS, does everything, fits in a bag
Phone - cut-down OS but fits in your pocket, makes phone calls.

And then there's tablets. Cut down OS but doesn't fit in your pocket, needs to go in your bag, can't make phone calls. They're just a gimmick.

I don't think they're a gimmick. They've been too successful for that.

If there's a gap between my iPhone functionality and my MacBook's functionality, it's tiny. Certainly a gap that isn't worth bridging by spending £500. The two complement each other incredibly well.

And when I get a new phone that's faster & thinner with a larger display & a thinner, lighter, faster laptop any gap that existed will vanish.

 

[KPOM]

Apple hasn't figure out the iPad, they've had some early successes but how are the newer ones any different then the older ones? They're basically thinner. Throw increased competition and people are not upgrading as often as they do with their phones and the competition is taking some numbers away as well

Unless you consider the low-end tablets driving all the growth as "competition," it seems that the competition really isn't taking sales away from Apple. Samsung has added split-screen multitasking, stylus support, and still their sales were flat, suggesting that they held their own but didn't really capitalize on a modest update cycle by Apple, either.

Apple does need to update the software, though. I don't think the Surface Pro is quite ready for prime time, but Microsoft may be right about the long term trend (they just pushed it out way ahead of its time, as they did with tablets in general).

My guess is that the Apple Watch will follow a similar trajectory in that its sales will rise over the first 2-3 generations until whoever wants one has one, and then after that it will revert to a slower upgrade cycle. While I can foresee a wearable of some type (maybe a watch, or maybe even some less creepy/nerdy version of something like Google Glass) supplanting the cellular communications part of smartphones at some point down the road, I think it will be harder to completely replace the rest of its functionality (e.g. you won't reply to work e-mails on a watch), at which point what we today call smartphones may essentially be tablets (or evolved versions of what we used to call PDAs).

 

[jm001]

I have found that iOS just doesn't seem that well designed for the potential of the iPad and it's bigger screen. If the iPad Pro rumors are true, I'd sure like to see how iOS will adapt or evolve to suit it. As someone noted, it would make sense to make iOS for iPad more like OSX with floating windows (I find the split screen of Windows and Android annoying).

 

[nazaar]

Well duh, it's because the iPhones are about as big as the tablets now.

I think it's because iPads don't really do anything... basically a glorified e reader.

 

[MRU]

Tablets are getting more and more powerful than ever. Consumers are holding onto them longer and are not updating every year. Saturation point is invariably reached. Sales plateau.

Simples.

Either take tablets into a new market / area - or watch them stall.

 

[Mike Oxard]

I think it's because iPads don't really do anything... basically a glorified e reader.

Most home computers are now as well! Facebook, email and googling is what most seem to be used for, and how often do people replace their home PC? Unsurprising to see tablets sales stall.

 

[MaulRx]

I think it's because iPads don't really do anything... basically a glorified e reader.

They do plenty if you have a genuine need for one. If you don't I can see how people would think they are just a toy.

 

[MacCruiskeen]

Does anyone besides Apple actually disclose sales figures? If not where does IDC get their figures from?

Amazon in particular has always been tightfisted with giving out real data. Also not clear if 'tablet' here includes dedicated ereader models like the Paperwhite and the new Voyager. I could believe the Kindle Fire line is not doing that well--it has no real advantage over an ipad or normal Android device, and someone who really wanted a to buy a lot of Kindle books would be better off with a Paperwhite most of the time. Personally, I would not shed a tear if the Kindle went away; in fact, I would dance on its grave.

 

[MRU]

I think it's because iPads don't really do anything... basically a glorified e reader.

On the contrary. A tablet can be a very productive tool in the hands of someone who uses them creatively. Just because you do not - does not invalidate those that do.

 

[Tiger8]

Not too surprising, the market is approaching saturation. Really, Apple is underutilizing the iPad's potential. WHen I had an Air 2 I was underwhelmed that it did nothing my iPad 3 couldn't except load a game 4 seconds faster.

There is so much iOS optimization to be done.

I am with you. I think the iPad is a nice internet browser, that's about it. The only reason I upgraded my iPad 3 was a killer deal on iPad air, so I ended up paying $80 to get an iPad Air, but honestly, other than it being slightly lighter and smaller, I don't notice that much of improvement.

I have been upgrading my phone every two years, sometimes more frequently, I use it way more than my iPad

 

[peterdevries]

I think it's because iPads don't really do anything... basically a glorified e reader.

Another case of someone thinking their view should apply to all.

 

[ghostface147]

People don't replace tablets as often as phones. That's it.

 

[Freyqq]

Probably didn't help that the ipad mini 3 is the same exact thing as the ipad mini 2

 

[MaulRx]

Probably didn't help that the ipad mini 3 is the same exact thing as the ipad mini 2

Touch ID so not exactly..

 

[Narcaz]

I am with you. I think the iPad is a nice internet browser, that's about it. The only reason I upgraded my iPad 3 was a killer deal on iPad air, so I ended up paying $80 to get an iPad Air, but honestly, other than it being slightly lighter and smaller, I don't notice that much of improvement.

I have been upgrading my phone every two years, sometimes more frequently, I use it way more than my iPad

I am hearing you guys. I gave my iPad 3 last year to my grandparents, because i had a good deal on an iPad mini 2. I really like its portability, but the amazing A7 processor power didn't translate into a better software experience. Actually it feels worse with iOS 8 and I end up using my Macbook more often than usually. The difference between iOS for iPhones/iPad is noticable. My iPad mini 2 is sluggish compared to my 5S (with the same internals). And it suffers from the same software limitations like the iPad 2/3. Those limitations made sense in 2011/2012, but not in 2015. Hey Apple, Windows 10 tablets offer full X86 compatibilty, a tablet mode and fanless design with Broadwell/Skylake Core M. Please add some functionalities. Here are some of my suggestions from the iOS 9 wish list thread. I hope Apple has even better ideas:

1) Split Screen Multitasking
2) Touch ID based guest account/ multi user mode (allows private browsing, blocks certain photos/videos albums and apps)
3) better iPad UI (reduce unused space in NC, Mail, more icons in folders etc.)
4) USB iPad Display Mode (use it as secondary display with special touch inputs)
5) 6Plus cut/paste keyboard for the iPad
6) Safari extensions (Adblock, Ghostery etc., has to be App Store approved)

 

[Traverse]

Still, I wanted to clarify that I DO think tablets are useful and productive if you make them. I see alot of posts dismissing tablets as "just a reader" or other such posts.

Here is a quote from me in a productivity thread.

You know, I've really turned my iPad in quite the productive little machine.

My 15" MacBook stays docked to a large external monitor at home and I take my iPad 3 with a Logitech Ultrathin Smart Cover to school. I use Word (and occasionally OneNote) to take notes during lectures or annotate professor supplied power points as they talk. I use Excel for iOS for some (very light) spreadsheet organization. I'm using PDF expert to read and annotate over 400 pages of PDFs for this terms classes. I've stopped printing PowerPoint slides and notes and simply consolidate them all into one large (50 to 200 page) PDF to study for exams. All my files stay in sync via Dropbox. I use Calendar and various Reminders lists to stay onto of my tasks and I stay on top of my emails throughout the day instead of letting them pile up until I'm home.

When I get home I pick up where I left off on my Mac to finish papers, work on my online class presentations, and work on my thesis (but I read the thesis PDFs and data on the iPad).

Together they make a pretty good team. My Mac is excellent for my heavy lifting tasks and my iPad works perfect as a light on-the-go device. The ability to use a keyboard in a more traditional laptop fashion when taking notes, but detach it into a more "book" like form factor for reading and annotating PDFs is a big help especially since some of my PDFs are rendered as one image so I can't highlight individual text on my Mac, but I can draw or freeform highlight on my iPad.

 

[GrabASnookie]

possibly a 10 year upgrade cycle similar to a nice car or truck

The iPads are long lasting and well made - My wife uses her iPad 2 in bed (unfortunately)and mainly uses her new iPhone plus the rest of the time. Upgrade cycles can be similar to some well made cars and trucks - our iPad will be upgrade in 10 years unless there is a compelling reason to replace it sooner.

Apple sure does know how to retain it's customer base.