iPad Shipments Predicted to Fall This Year Amid 7% Decline in Wider PC and Tablet Market

[MacRumors]

Market research firm Canalys has forecast a sharp drop in PC and tablet sales in 2020 due to the economic recession brought on by the global health crisis.

PC shipments fell by approximately 9 percent in the first quarter, and Canalys predicts a marginal recovery in the second and third quarters, with shipments projected to be down year on year.

According to the report, PC and tablet shipments are expected to reach 367.8 million units by the end of this year, down 7 percent from 395.6 million units in 2019. Apple in particular could see lower shipments of iPads if consumers consider them "non-esential" purchases.

If the economy does not show major signs of recovery by Q4, Canalys expects that consumers will move away from discretionary spending on non-essential devices, such as Apple tablets, at the end of the year. We expect the recovery in the US to be delayed until 2022, when the market will grow 4% year on year.

The report follows data shared by Gartner on Monday indicating iPhone sales dropped eight percent in the first quarter of 2020, although other smartphone manufacturers saw much steeper drops in sales.


Article Link: iPad Shipments Predicted to Fall This Year Amid 7% Decline in Wider PC and Tablet Market

 

[djcerla]

I believe Canalys is wrong.

iPad has been a key item for remote education during this lockdown. My understanding is that Apple struggled to keep up with iPad orders, and not only for supply chain problems, but for a genuine spike in demand. Anecdotally, my mother’s base iPad took more than a month to arrive.

Same happened with PCs and webcams: everything was sold out here in Italy.

 

[Seanm87]

I believe Canalys is wrong.

iPad has been a key item for remote education during this lockdown. My understanding is that Apple struggled to keep up with iPad orders, and not only for supply chain problems, but for a genuine spike in demand. Anecdotally, my mother’s base iPad took more than a month to arrive.

Same happened with PCs and webcams: everything was sold out here in Italy.

There would be an initial spike in demand but I would imagine that will come down significantly later in the year once the economic damage kicks in.

 

[orbital~debris]

That's interesting…

From the news items I've seen during lockdown, many consumers, parents and new home-workers have been buying iPad (or Mac notebooks) to use during the pandemic. (Anecdotally I know of a purchase like that.) And weren't there iPad shortages in Asia?

Even if there's been drop-off from some who prefer to buy in person, I'd expect that to be countered by online shopping for new iPad models.

 

[The Game 161]

Don’t really buy this i think iPad sales are only going to increase for the most part.

 

[mpConroe]

I bought my iPad Pro 2020 when lockdown is going on so I dont believe in this report.

 

[UltimaKilo]

This is exactly why I feel Apple should delay the next gen iPad to March ‘21 and simply cut the price until then. Slap an A12 into the iPad come March with better battery and less weight and call it a day.

 

[Misuteri]

I ordered a new PC on May 21 and delivery is going to take more than 30 days. New monitor? I had to change my model because it would have arrived mid-July.

2 kids at home and a new iPad from Christmas was not just welcome but essential for school. Zoom calls, online programs etc.

I talked to a Dell rep and in March they were having corporate clients calling and ordering 1,000 machines at a time. Their inventory of ready to ship looks pretty undesirable at the moment.

The only scarcer consumer item ATM near me is a good firearm.

 

[DNichter]

Not sure I would agree, but costs certainly play a factor right now. I think an updated iPad Air with the current Pro design for $500 would do very well. They also need to improve the Magic Keyboard, but that is not as critical.

 

[TravelsInBlue]

I believe Canalys is wrong.

iPad has been a key item for remote education during this lockdown. My understanding is that Apple struggled to keep up with iPad orders, and not only for supply chain problems, but for a genuine spike in demand. Anecdotally, my mother’s base iPad took more than a month to arrive.

Same happened with PCs and webcams: everything was sold out here in Italy.

Not quite, the Chromebook has been more key for education in all districts in my area. Most iPads were kept to lower grade levels as they are more of a consumption tool, with higher grade levels being given a Chromebook.


I would imagine PC sales to recover strongly in Q2 and then tank Q3. After the stimulus checks went out and many employers went to a "work from home" model, it was almost impossible to find laptops in stores.

 

[gnomeisland]

I'm also skeptical. More confused those by the MASSIVE projected drop in Q3 2021. Do they know something we don't?! Pandemic part part two? j/k but a 15+ point drop would be worse that what happened at the height of this pandemic. I think that's pretty severe to see happen again in 2021.