iPad Pro Shipment Projections Slashed on Sluggish OLED Panel Demand

[mystery hill]

For a split second - until people realize that finger GUI does not suit a mouse oriented GUI

But hey - try it with remote access tool before you judge

macOS would run in a virtual machine and be used only with a trackpad and keyboard, not with a finger.

I remotely access Windows machines using an iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard using the Windows (Remote Desktop) app, and it works well.

 

[dandyryan]

my ipad air 2 from 2014 still does what the ipad is good for: youtube and safari.

 

[svish]

Not surprised that the demand is less considering the very high prices. Also iPads last a long time and customers hold on to the devices longer.

 

[jo-1]

Not surprised that the demand is less considering the very high prices.

I don't view it that way. I always try to minimize total cost of ownership. It is part of my DNA to limit total cost. Total cost means cost over lifetime of a poridcut. Buying, maintenance and selling ( not for all products and services possible and finally tax savings.

My Tablets are business tools and thus they can be deducted at the tac declaration and I'll get in Germany some 45 % back

Let me give you an example of my 2018 iPad PRO ( maxed out to 1 TB incl. cellular )

• € 1,879 buying price
• € 846 tax back payment
• => € 1,033 cashout over six years of using it => € 14,3 per month cashout or less than a coffee a day - not much IMHO

Also iPads last a long time and customers hold on to the devices longer.

yes - in my case six years and counting for my 2018 iPad PRO - still in use every day as a backup for my new iPad PRO 2024 - these devices last virtually forever - the 2018 model is still fully supported and haas almost all the iOS features that the newer devices got - it even had the Neural Engine on board and will be able to perform some AI features - much slower though.
The new iPad PRO 2024 will probably have a similar lifespan and cost - thus I cannot understand the criticism about the M4 chip in it - this is future proofing the device and thus the cost is more than justified IMHO

 

[jo-1]

macOS would run in a virtual machine and be used only with a trackpad and keyboard, not with a finger.

and what would be the benefit of doing that?

13" iPad PRO incl. magic keyboard weighs 1,240 g​

13" macBook Air weighs also 1,240 g​

So what would be the benefit of using the iPad when I have to use a trackpad and keyboard for macOS in a VM?

Needless to say that only a handheld usage makes a tablet a real tablet - once used in your hands with the finger GUI the tablet has the benefits I enjoy using it. For me absolutely makes no sense at all to run macOS on it being a tablet.

The iPads are complementary to lap tops - not a substitute and in case I would have to choose between both it would always be a MAC for me - since I already have an iPhone which can do pretty much the same as my iPads can do.

 

[dabi]

Literally all they have to do is make a MacOS variant of the iPad Pro, and it'll sell like crazy

 

[Rokkus76]

Not surprised that the demand is less considering the very high prices. Also iPads last a long time and customers hold on to the devices longer.

I was thinking to get an Air or Pro, 13”, using it as a music sheet reader. Here in Italy, 13 Air starting at 970€ and Pro starting at 1.570€. I currently have a 9,7” one; at those prices I have no desire to buy, for what I need. Perhaps in the future. Not sure about it to be honest.

 

[Jeff.]

Too expensive and also one less camera.
I upgraded my iPad Pro 3rd gen to a 4th gen, mainly to change colour. Will keep this the next few years.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Well we planned to and bought two of those on release and are quite happy with them.

If I had to guess a weakness, it’d be the pretty simplistic OS holding back the hardware’s potential and more use cases in people’s lives.

It's not that they aren't nice devices. It's that they are a bad value. If you can afford to spend the money on two of them and feel like that money wasn't far better spend elsewhere, then great. To me, it's just far, far too expensive for what little I'd use it for.

 

[zubikov]

They are all too expensive for what they do and are used for

Yes! Pro or not, it’s a media consumption and gaming device for vast majority of the users. People are done paying $1k+ for that. Lots of folks on these forums are prosumers, and like to internalize these headlines. But walk around restaurants, playgrounds, libraries, and coffee shops, people aren’t using these pro devices for pro reasons.

Lastly, Apple can’t laugh off competition at these prices. Sure the iPad Pro is at the top, but a high end OnePlus tablet is $400, and the Samsung one is $600, both with pens and cellular. At some point people will just di the math, and say that the “ecosystem” and slightly better OLED aren’t worth a $600-800 premium.

 

[pdmpolishing]

I have the 13” M4, I find I end up using it as a consumption device, so therefore I think the price is far to expensive. I was really hoping there would be an update to iPadOS to act more like MacOS, I would so love to just have one device, instead of having a laptop for this, an iPad for that.

 

[DoctorMesmer]

Why do you use your iPad as a coffee table? 😉😝

LOL – that interpretation hadn’t even occurred to me. In truth, I have a study case around it which could almost allow it to be used as a coffee table!

 

[The Game 161]

I like my iPad pro m4 and like it has oled but mine is mainly media device and when I can't be bothered to use my Mac. I also have a foldable phone for a tablet like experience for quick browsing as well.

Most people who have an iPad it does it's job for what they need it for. It will never replace my Mac and I'm sure many feel the same

 

[The Game 161]

Just buy a MacBook Air with a really OS for almost half the price.

That's the issue you can get a MacBook air with a desktop OS cheaper than a device that is a tablet OS. Not like you can't use a laptop for media if that's what you want it to do

 

[BigMac79]

Apple's M4 iPad Pro models with OLED displays are reportedly facing weaker-than-expected demand since their debut in the second quarter, according to a new analyst report.

Released in May of this year, the 11-inch and 13-inch devices marked Apple's first use of OLED technology in larger screens and were initially projected to ship up to 10 million units in 2024. However, in its latest analysis, market research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) has significantly lowered that forecast to just 6.7 million units.

DSCC's Ross Young reports that shipments of the 11-inch model are likely to decrease by 40% in the third quarter and a further 30% in the fourth quarter compared to the previous quarter. The larger 13-inch model is said to be experiencing an even steeper decline, with shipments projected to drop by over 50% and 90% in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.

Young attributed the lukewarm reception to several factors. The high price point, starting at $999 for the 11.1-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch version, may be deterring potential buyers who view tablets as complementary devices to smartphones or laptops. That's not to say that the new M4 processor and advanced display technology aren't impressive, but they may not provide enough incentive for consumers to upgrade their existing tablets. The limitations of Apple's iPadOS software could also be a factor.

The situation raises questions about the viability of OLED technology in maintaining Apple's premium pricing for tablets. Young noted that in the TV market, OLED has successfully competed with mini-LED technology, but the price differential remains a significant hurdle in the tablet space.

Apple is also said to be working on an OLED version of the iPad Air, and prior rumors have suggested that it will be released in 2026. However, due to sluggish sales of OLED iPad Pro models, Young expressed concern that the iPad Air's switch from LCD to OLED could be delayed by more than a year.

Despite the disappointing sales figures for the OLED iPad Pro, Young remains optimistic about the future of OLED in Apple's MacBook lineup. The analyst has previously predicted that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will switch from mini-LED to OLED as early as 2026. Young said he still expects stronger demand for OLED laptops compared to tablets, pointing at the increasing adoption of OLED displays by PC manufacturers.

MacBooks with OLED displays would offer increased brightness and improved contrast ratio compared to LCD models, and the displays would also be more power efficient for longer battery life. The switch to OLED displays could also contribute to future MacBook Pro models having a thinner design.

Article Link: iPad Pro Shipment Projections Slashed on Sluggish OLED Panel Demand

Perhaps people feel unsure about these OLED displays with the low frequency PWM dimming and their long-term health implications.

 

[smulji]

You can get a Windows tablet and run full blown Windows desktop programs including WSL with a Linux command line environment.

That's not the purpose of a device like the iPad, Pro or not.

 

[smulji]

All of Apple’s product lines have an OS built from the ground up for the device it is running on… Watch OS, iOS, tvOS, MacOS…. But the iPad has always piggy backed off of the iPhone software.

tvOS and watchOS also piggy back off of iPhone software.

 

[smulji]

If iPadOS is all they're ever going to allow on these things, we don't need all these models

100% agree

 

[TheNewLou]

tvOS and watchOS also piggy back off of iPhone software.

An Apple Watch has a completely different interface from an iPhone, optimized for its hardware (screen size, side button, Digital Crown).

An Apple TV has a completely different interface from an iPhone, supporting a completely different physical interface (remote instead of touch).

An iPad... is just a giant iPhone. The Home Screen is just... bigger. Apps are mostly just stretched out, and sure you can have multiple columns & slideover, but really it's just a giant iPhone (or even a regular iPad).

iPads are indeed portable & convenient & attractive & trendy. But iPad Pro's are just not very different. Impeccable hardware, but no real world use for all that speed & power on that OS.

 

[dandyryan]

apple ipad marketing team: scared, shook, panickin

 

[James Godfrey]

tvOS and watchOS also piggy back off of iPhone software.

They may piggy back but they are redesigned/reconfigured for the device they are running on. The issue with iPadOS is that it is literally iPhone but bigger and that is the issue.

 

[dgdosen]

Maybe sluggish sales will spur Apple to unleash improvements in iPad OS

 

[yabeweb]

Yes! Pro or not, it’s a media consumption and gaming device for vast majority of the users. People are done paying $1k+ for that. Lots of folks on these forums are prosumers, and like to internalize these headlines. But walk around restaurants, playgrounds, libraries, and coffee shops, people aren’t using these pro devices for pro reasons.

Lastly, Apple can’t laugh off competition at these prices. Sure the iPad Pro is at the top, but a high end OnePlus tablet is $400, and the Samsung one is $600, both with pens and cellular. At some point people will just di the math, and say that the “ecosystem” and slightly better OLED aren’t worth a $600-800 premium.

Probably cause I don't do work in a coffee shop or playgrounds..

I do 100% of my work on iPad pro 11 only, wouldn't want to do it on an air or a regular ipad, and speed is not the main factor.

The screen quality/promotion and the quad speaker are more important than the chip itself for my usage.

While I could get a cheaper Android tablet, I'be wasting 400-600 euros because the pro app in the Android tablet are limited / non existent.

Stuff like affinity or logic to name a few, are non existent, so I'd save money and lose functionality.

Don't want to shell 1000s? That's why they have non pro, air and mini, the thing is, people want the pro because they think is better, and while it is for some tasks, for surfing the web any ipad is good enough.

Heck people complain about 64 gb storage, but if as you suggest, all you do is safari and streaming, you'll never use half of it.

Do I want improvement in iPad os? Yes, but since I stopped using the ipad as a computer very few, I adapted to the workflow and while there is room for improvement, there isn't much I'd change.

Do I want Mac os on ipads? Heck no.