Smartphones got big because of installments and subsidies. Most people are much less willing to drop $500 cash every year or two for something they only use on the couch.
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The iPad is doomed and dead! R.I.P! D: D:
- Thread starter DanButler16
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Smartphones got big because of installments and subsidies. Most people are much less willing to drop $500 cash every year or two for something they only use on the couch.
I had to laugh when I read this. I think apple ipad sales are slowing down because 1 in every 3 already own one. Not because its dying. It will not end up like the netbook. The ipad is very much a media consumption device. Its very specialized. Its very good at what it does. People bought one because they already had a computer and wanted something that could supplement it.
Microsoft surface is a computer. sales have not been as good as ipad because of that. A computer is what most people already have. why buy another if its basically the same purpose. Microsoft will never sell as many devices while trying to replace computers instead of supplementing them.
Microsoft surface is a computer. sales have not been as good as ipad because of that. A computer is what most people already have. why buy another if its basically the same purpose. Microsoft will never sell as many devices while trying to replace computers instead of supplementing them.
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I know for our family we don't upgrade much. Once we purchase the item and they work perfectly, we will keep it for a long time. The great thing about Apple is that their stuff last a long time. I still have the 2011-12 MacBook Pro working in perfect condition. And iPad mini that is older. Before that I had a Fujitsu, Dell, HP all died on me within 2 years of having them and heavy usage. In November I sold our 2010 MacBook as well. Worked perfectly except it needed a new battery and I didn't want o pay for it so I sold it. 
I know many people who are still using iPhone 4 and ipad 2. Don't fret!
I know many people who are still using iPhone 4 and ipad 2. Don't fret!
Hahahahahahahaahahaha
Im sorry, this thread is tongue n cheek, right?
Millions are using iPads, most netbooks are dead in drawers.
Im sorry, this thread is tongue n cheek, right?
Millions are using iPads, most netbooks are dead in drawers.
I know I normally do the yearly upgrade, but the Air 2 actually seems "right" in that I'm not horribly interested in the replacement unless it has certain specific features.
A lot of what I find missing these days is in the software, not the hardware.
EDIT: thanks autocorrect for thinking "interested" should be "ingested"
A lot of what I find missing these days is in the software, not the hardware.
EDIT: thanks autocorrect for thinking "interested" should be "ingested"
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It's been said in multiple posts in this thread already but really, you can never maintain growth forever. Eventually most of the people who want your product have it. I did buy and IPP this year but I still have a 6+ phone. No reason to blow another $1K on another unlocked 128 GB 6s+ for the minor upgrade it really is. Certainly phone sales are dropping. Everyone has one, you release an upgrade twice a year and they are really, really expensive.
Betteridge's Law.
iOS sales are slowing down due to Uncertainty in the chinese market primarily. Chinese customers are a prime target for Apple but the weakness in the chinese markets right now are causing all sorts of crazy shifts. Once things stabilize a little more and the next iPhone gets released, iOS sales will maintain or regain traction. iPad sales are still kind of flat but unless Apple cripples or update/obsolete the iPad 2 models still on the market, there are not going to be that many sales.
iOS sales are slowing down due to Uncertainty in the chinese market primarily. Chinese customers are a prime target for Apple but the weakness in the chinese markets right now are causing all sorts of crazy shifts. Once things stabilize a little more and the next iPhone gets released, iOS sales will maintain or regain traction. iPad sales are still kind of flat but unless Apple cripples or update/obsolete the iPad 2 models still on the market, there are not going to be that many sales.
Yep. Millions of iPads in use. And people will just stop using them. Because the media is filled with reports of people suddenly hating their iPads??
Perhaps iPads will fade away some day. And it's likely Apple will be building whatever replaces them.
Perhaps iPads will fade away some day. And it's likely Apple will be building whatever replaces them.
Tim Cook says he predicts next quarter iPhone sales will be lower for the first time ever. Are phones going out of style? Of coarse not. There are just so many people that can buy the same phones year after year.
And with iPads, there are people and companies that still use the iPad 2. Not the air 2, the 2. From the year 2011 and don't feel the need to upgrade. Are tablets out of style like netbooks just because they still enjoy their tablet enough to not need to upgrade? If anything, isn't that a testament to how great they are? A good portion of people do simple things like browse social media, write posts (like this one!) and watch streaming (Netflix and YouTube) Why can't an ipad2 do that? It can. So for someone that doesn't care too much about new features, they wouldn't be counted in new sales figures obviously. Sales figures don't tell the story of the people that use older models every day and just don't care to upgrade. How many iPads have been sold to date? How many active users are there?
At some point, there are diminishing returns. Especially for people that don't have demanding needs. I keep upgrading just because I have the money and like new features but now that I have the iPad pro, I can see myself keeping this for the next 4 years easy. It's replaced my laptop for most everything. I won't be counted in the sales numbers for iPad pro 2 most likely, but what does that mean? That because i didn't buy a pro 2 that I don't like tablets anymore and they are a passing fad? Nope.
And with iPads, there are people and companies that still use the iPad 2. Not the air 2, the 2. From the year 2011 and don't feel the need to upgrade. Are tablets out of style like netbooks just because they still enjoy their tablet enough to not need to upgrade? If anything, isn't that a testament to how great they are? A good portion of people do simple things like browse social media, write posts (like this one!) and watch streaming (Netflix and YouTube) Why can't an ipad2 do that? It can. So for someone that doesn't care too much about new features, they wouldn't be counted in new sales figures obviously. Sales figures don't tell the story of the people that use older models every day and just don't care to upgrade. How many iPads have been sold to date? How many active users are there?
At some point, there are diminishing returns. Especially for people that don't have demanding needs. I keep upgrading just because I have the money and like new features but now that I have the iPad pro, I can see myself keeping this for the next 4 years easy. It's replaced my laptop for most everything. I won't be counted in the sales numbers for iPad pro 2 most likely, but what does that mean? That because i didn't buy a pro 2 that I don't like tablets anymore and they are a passing fad? Nope.
This we do not know what the upgrade cycle is a nice angle and probably true. And made heard over and over by Horace, Rene Richie and Jim Dalrymble. It has some truth about it. But it is not the whole truth.
One datapoint that cannot be ignored is app store. App development for iPad is in practice dead. iPad gets some new apps that are ported from iPhone. In last 18 months there has been not single app that somehow take advantage from strengths of iPads. Instead some apps has made simpler because they were ported to iPhone. There never were expectations that iPad pro would be a hit that would turn the numbers around but we should have seen the change in app store and in betas for apps. There is not a sound for change.
App store is the strongest signal that iPad is struggling. It is the flag which indicates the problem. Apple is aware that iPad has potential, it could be the future. But they are not sure what it suppose to be. Marketing is all over the places. They cannot tell the story for use of iPad, although the new apple rarely can tell the story for any product, they are more normal business in that regard also.
And the normal users are also confused. People outside IT-bubble are interested for iPad and buy them. But they struggling to find normal use cases for it. Tech bloggers seem to think that power user is a person that writes up to 10000 words and is confused with spreadsheet and has up to dozen emails. And every one else is like their retired mother. I do think that the average people is working outside home, having their calendars full, lots of emails, writing something with structure to others and balancing their own economy with spreadsheets, Sending documents with email and taking a whole lot of pictures on vacation and holidays. iPad do not work very well for these people. Many features are in fact beast at demos and for those "power users" with empty inboxes in email. When you increase number of documents, emails, calendars etc to the numbers average people use the use for iPad comes a nightmare.
Ipad is a promise of future with the form factor that would work for most people. But it is a future lost because the operating system is locked down to be a little brother to phone.
Ipad is not dead. But it will not be for everyone. It will not gain ground significantly, that ship has sailed. Ironically windows 2-in-1 maybe on to something. Or the phone that transforms to desktop. Phones are something that we all have and carry around. If the identity would be within phone, identification would be seamless by watch (band) and phone. Data would be in the cloud. And wirelessly you could use the apps and data with mouse, keyboard and large display if the work you are doing requires to do so.
Laws of nature are clear, entropy rises. There will be more display sizes. There will not be one form factor to rule them all. iPad is not dead. But they will not kill laptops or desktops either. And they will not kill windows it seems. There will be more of everything. Well maybe smartphones are more significant than others.
iPad usage will stay on this level for the visible future or increase marginally. But because the use cases are not significant people do not upgrade them often so the numbers sold will be declining still. I doubt that apple is apple to change that because it would mean that they would have to make drastic changed in practice and in the philosophy. And apple is best when it is tinkering something existing to the maximum, they are struggling when they are on uncharted territory.
One datapoint that cannot be ignored is app store. App development for iPad is in practice dead. iPad gets some new apps that are ported from iPhone. In last 18 months there has been not single app that somehow take advantage from strengths of iPads. Instead some apps has made simpler because they were ported to iPhone. There never were expectations that iPad pro would be a hit that would turn the numbers around but we should have seen the change in app store and in betas for apps. There is not a sound for change.
App store is the strongest signal that iPad is struggling. It is the flag which indicates the problem. Apple is aware that iPad has potential, it could be the future. But they are not sure what it suppose to be. Marketing is all over the places. They cannot tell the story for use of iPad, although the new apple rarely can tell the story for any product, they are more normal business in that regard also.
And the normal users are also confused. People outside IT-bubble are interested for iPad and buy them. But they struggling to find normal use cases for it. Tech bloggers seem to think that power user is a person that writes up to 10000 words and is confused with spreadsheet and has up to dozen emails. And every one else is like their retired mother. I do think that the average people is working outside home, having their calendars full, lots of emails, writing something with structure to others and balancing their own economy with spreadsheets, Sending documents with email and taking a whole lot of pictures on vacation and holidays. iPad do not work very well for these people. Many features are in fact beast at demos and for those "power users" with empty inboxes in email. When you increase number of documents, emails, calendars etc to the numbers average people use the use for iPad comes a nightmare.
Ipad is a promise of future with the form factor that would work for most people. But it is a future lost because the operating system is locked down to be a little brother to phone.
Ipad is not dead. But it will not be for everyone. It will not gain ground significantly, that ship has sailed. Ironically windows 2-in-1 maybe on to something. Or the phone that transforms to desktop. Phones are something that we all have and carry around. If the identity would be within phone, identification would be seamless by watch (band) and phone. Data would be in the cloud. And wirelessly you could use the apps and data with mouse, keyboard and large display if the work you are doing requires to do so.
Laws of nature are clear, entropy rises. There will be more display sizes. There will not be one form factor to rule them all. iPad is not dead. But they will not kill laptops or desktops either. And they will not kill windows it seems. There will be more of everything. Well maybe smartphones are more significant than others.
iPad usage will stay on this level for the visible future or increase marginally. But because the use cases are not significant people do not upgrade them often so the numbers sold will be declining still. I doubt that apple is apple to change that because it would mean that they would have to make drastic changed in practice and in the philosophy. And apple is best when it is tinkering something existing to the maximum, they are struggling when they are on uncharted territory.
I can’t see people ever stop using ipads. The pro for example people who don’t use their laptop for business will just use the ipad pro. Me for one now I have the 6S plus and now the pro I will barely use my macbook pro. I will always need an ipad to browse and watch TV shows, live TV, amazon prime so I don’t see tablets ever stop being used around the world.
The main problem is that software is not keeping up with the hardware capabilities of the new iPads. 2 in 1s are a compromise to get round this. Assuming the software for tablets can pick up and move forward, there will be little need for 2 in 1s before long. The Surface Pro is starting to do well because it is better light laptop than the OEMs are making; it has very little to do with tablet capabilities.
I think a few problems are
1. Dollar is so strong compared to other currencies making it cost more to buy.
2. It's not a phone, most people probably buy it outright and won't have the 24 month upgrades people normally take.
3. It's become stale. Even though performance on paper has increased dramatically, real world performance gains are hard to see, app developers also aren't taking full advance of these performance gains mainly because they are trying to support iPads 4 generations old and there budgets and the amount they can charge ( hence low budgets) it not comparable to fully fledged desktop class apps and games.
5. People seem to be switching more and more to 2 in 1s
1. Dollar is so strong compared to other currencies making it cost more to buy.
2. It's not a phone, most people probably buy it outright and won't have the 24 month upgrades people normally take.
3. It's become stale. Even though performance on paper has increased dramatically, real world performance gains are hard to see, app developers also aren't taking full advance of these performance gains mainly because they are trying to support iPads 4 generations old and there budgets and the amount they can charge ( hence low budgets) it not comparable to fully fledged desktop class apps and games.
5. People seem to be switching more and more to 2 in 1s
Very true. Apple should gather some top app developers and give them money to produce really good iPad Apps. They should talk with the guys from Panic, Bohemian Coding, Autodesk, Readdle, Omni, Adobe and others and support the pro app development.
iPads problem is, that it's getting BORING. Nothing happens to iOS. And for the price of an iPad, you can get a computer. Tablets are just not very useable with a mobile OS, that locks you in anyway.
No good keyboard and NO MOUSE = Not for work
My iPad Pro is a dust collector. . . . .
No good keyboard and NO MOUSE = Not for work
My iPad Pro is a dust collector. . . . .
after the iPad 2!! not much has changed in terms of functionality/experience for average joe.
Better screen, better processor, lighter and touch id are nice features and have upgraded the iPad significantly from a technical point of view, but not from a functional/experience point of view.
Watching a youtube on an iPad air2 or an iPad 2, slightly worse screen and slight heavier...but joe is not running to the apple store to update the iPad 2.
On the contrary because not much has changed in terms of experience, since the ipad2 many are inclined to leave the product and change to something more substantial, like hybrids.
imo, the problem with the iPad is not the hardware experience, that has changed significantly, but the software experience. Too little has changed since the ipad2.
I'm not saying we NEED file management in iOS, but the software is "too young" to actually do something substantial and 2 extra features like profiles is not gonna cut it.
Better screen, better processor, lighter and touch id are nice features and have upgraded the iPad significantly from a technical point of view, but not from a functional/experience point of view.
Watching a youtube on an iPad air2 or an iPad 2, slightly worse screen and slight heavier...but joe is not running to the apple store to update the iPad 2.
On the contrary because not much has changed in terms of experience, since the ipad2 many are inclined to leave the product and change to something more substantial, like hybrids.
imo, the problem with the iPad is not the hardware experience, that has changed significantly, but the software experience. Too little has changed since the ipad2.
I'm not saying we NEED file management in iOS, but the software is "too young" to actually do something substantial and 2 extra features like profiles is not gonna cut it.
Sorry, but why did you buy it, then? No need to test it out before purchase?
That's quite curious.
I believe the answers are:
1. Move to a 2-3 year hardware release (for the iPad line, iPP/Air's/...)
2. Use the extra time to focus on OS and App development for current hardware
3. INCLUDE A FILE SYSTEM ACCESSIBLE TO THE USER
4. Charge for OS updates (Main number changes i.e. iOS 8.X to iOS 9.0, keep mid changes free or less)
People are less likely to replace iOS devices because of the high cost, but I think most would be willing to pay for OS updates IF, AND ONLY IF they aren't crappy like the X.0 upgrades have been lately. Focus on making them run better on ALL iOS devices that get the update. As long as a device gets an update, it should run better (faster, smoother, and yes snappier safari) than a previous update.
There are many business strategies based off of Apples original plan to fit all their products on one table. They have moved away from this, and I personally think they are spreading themselves too thin.
1. Move to a 2-3 year hardware release (for the iPad line, iPP/Air's/...)
2. Use the extra time to focus on OS and App development for current hardware
3. INCLUDE A FILE SYSTEM ACCESSIBLE TO THE USER
4. Charge for OS updates (Main number changes i.e. iOS 8.X to iOS 9.0, keep mid changes free or less)
People are less likely to replace iOS devices because of the high cost, but I think most would be willing to pay for OS updates IF, AND ONLY IF they aren't crappy like the X.0 upgrades have been lately. Focus on making them run better on ALL iOS devices that get the update. As long as a device gets an update, it should run better (faster, smoother, and yes snappier safari) than a previous update.
There are many business strategies based off of Apples original plan to fit all their products on one table. They have moved away from this, and I personally think they are spreading themselves too thin.
Not going to speak for the guy who wrote that post but in my case I was able to determine within Apple's return deadline that the IPP was not for me. Perhaps others take longer than 14 days to find out that the Pro model is not all it's cracked up to be and thus have no choice but to keep it.
If something isn't for you then sell keeping it is pointless
So far on 5 hours use the pro is huge size but getting used to it
So far on 5 hours use the pro is huge size but getting used to it
True, some people take longer than 14 days to learn if a device fits their usage. But the iPP was released at the start of the holiday season, so most people had all of December to test out the iPP. I suppose the poster could be from a country where holiday return policy isn't available?