Will Apple Silicon MacBooks cannibalise iPad sales?

[AppleStart2013]

Debated whether to go with the iPad Air 4 or wait for the Apple silicon macs this year- decided to go with the Air 4 and magic keyboard as the combination will likely still be a bit cheaper than the MacBook option and I appreciate having a back-facing camera to scan documents/ using it as a tablet at home. The trackpad support made a big difference to the overall usability of iPadOS as a computer OS. However the idea of a low-power MacBook using apple processor is highly appealing.

I was wondering if the apple silicon macs will eat into iPad sales? Will iPad still have a place in the Apple ecosystem with these new, light and cool-running Apple Arm macbooks?

 

[jazz1]

Debated whether to go with the iPad Air 4 or wait for the Apple silicon macs this year- decided to go with the Air 4 and magic keyboard as the combination will likely still be a bit cheaper than the MacBook option and I appreciate having a back-facing camera to scan documents/ using it as a tablet at home. The trackpad support made a big difference to the overall usability of iPadOS as a computer OS. However the idea of a low-power MacBook using apple processor is highly appealing.

I was wondering if the apple silicon macs will eat into iPad sales? Will iPad still have a place in the Apple ecosystem with these new, light and cool-running Apple Arm macbooks?

I think that is a very interesting decision to make, particularly when you add the MK to the cost of giving the iPad a laptop like functionality. If, I owned a new ARM laptop I’d probably still want a tablet, although smaller than my current 12.9” iPad.

I’ve posted in another thread that it will be interesting to see a price/performance comparison between the 2020 iPad Pro and a ARM laptop. I guess we will find out soon!

 

[glenthompson]

I now use my iPad for many tasks that I used to use my laptop. Even so I still need the flexibility of a computer vs the iPad. Can’t see giving up either one but definitely don’t need as much power in a Mac.

 

[pshufd]

I have a monster of a desktop in my home office, a 2015 MacBook Pro on a table that I use as a TV, a 2014 MBP that I use around the house and an iPad Mini that I use around the house. I generally prefer using the MacBook Pro but it only has five hours of battery life so I alternate between the iPad Mini and the MacBook Pro.

If there is a MacBook Pro/AS with 10-20 hours of battery life, then that will mean that I use the iPad Mini quite a bit less. I don't do anything particularly intensive around the house so I should get the suggested battery life. So, in my case, it will mean a longer upgrade time on the iPad Mini.

I also like to be able to VNC into my MacBook Pros if I need something off of them. I can't do this with my iPad Mini - though I would like to sometimes.

 

[Lucifer666]

I really don’t see the problem. One would not dominate or consume the other.

 

[Madhatter32]

I think it is highly likely that Apple will keep the products differentiated even if the MacBooks go with a touch screen eventually.

 

[yanksrock100]

I don't see that happening. If anything, the iPad has cannibalized Mac sales. I don't see that turning around because of a new processor architecture.

 

[pshufd]

I don't see that happening. If anything, the iPad has cannibalized Mac sales. I don't see that turning around because of a new processor architecture.

I think that WFH and SFH is more efficient with a PC than an iPad.

 

[Daoi]

I would pay good money for an iPad Pro that could be connected to a hub with mouse, monitor, and keyboard and run Mac OS while 'docked', with the ability to unplug and use it as a tablet with the normal iOS interface. It seems like a good idea to me, which is exactly why it won't happen. Why sell one device that can do almost everything you need when you can artificially limit them for the sake of selling multiple products?

It might happen one day, but not anytime soon. Five(unlikely) to ten(more likely) years from now is probably my guess. It's going to take a windows-based competitor successfully doing it before Apple will feel much heat to do it.

I like the *concept* of the Microsoft Surface Pro, but in practice its execution is extremely lacking. The interface in 'tablet mode' is very clunky and cumbersome, and battery life was extremely poor. I owned a Surface Pro 4. Reviewers crowed about it getting 7-10 hours of battery life. I was getting about 3-3.5 with power saver on, brightness at minimum, bluetooth off, and running Explorer with one single tab open open. Contacted Microsoft tech support and they took a look at the power consumption and said it was normal. I complained some more and got a replacement unit. It was exactly the same. Everyone else I knew at the time who owned a Surface Pro 4 had a similarly abysmal battery life as well. I felt burned to the point I will never give Microsoft another penny for their tablets

Apple probably has what it takes the execute the concept well. There's technically speaking zero reason they couldn't achieve it by the end of this year with arrival of the ARM Macs and MacOS running on ARM, but until the competition catches up we'll probably have a long wait ahead.

As it stands, I've ordered an iPad and will order one of the new AS Macs when they become available. Personally, I don't see the case for thinking that will be much, if any, cannibalization of sales.

 

[Serban55]

Apple did the same with the iphone , ipod touch became cannibalise
If you are not an touch person, why would you buy an ipad pro (not the ipad bec that for its price it will still sell and it is best for env and education)
the new mac will run all the apps you will ever need : ipad apps, iphone apps, macOS apps, linux apps, and soon win10 ARM apps, while the ipad pro run, well...just ios apps, the new macbooks will probably have better battery life as well
The ipad will still be bought for its touchscreen and bought for those who doesnt need keyboard and trackpad so they keep it simple and light and cheaper

​

 

[Spindel]

Well if you look at people like me it allready has.

I see no use for a laptop everything I need to do on the go I do on my regular 2017 iPad. For heavy lifting I have a desktop (iMac). But to be honest 95% of my computer needs can be handeled with the iPad and I don’t use any external keyboard or things like that.

The main thing I miss on the iPad is macOSs terminal (I mainly use it for ssh). It’s kind of cumbersome to find a decent ssh app for the iPad (but I found Terminus and it’s OK)

 

[pshufd]

Apple did the same with the iphone , ipod touch became cannibalise
If you are not an touch person, why would you buy an ipad pro (not the ipad bec that for its price it will still sell and it is best for env and education)
the new mac will run all the apps you will ever need : ipad apps, iphone apps, macOS apps, linux apps, and soon win10 ARM apps, while the ipad pro run, well...just ios apps, the new macbooks will probably have better battery life as well
The ipad will still be bought for its touchscreen and bought for those who doesnt need keyboard and trackpad so they keep it simple and light and cheaper

​

The iPhone killed off the iPod Nano as well. I actually wouldn't mind one. My wife took my last one. I like them for running. I have music on my watch but watch players suffer from the cross-body problem with Bluetooth.

 

[ian87w]

Debated whether to go with the iPad Air 4 or wait for the Apple silicon macs this year- decided to go with the Air 4 and magic keyboard as the combination will likely still be a bit cheaper than the MacBook option and I appreciate having a back-facing camera to scan documents/ using it as a tablet at home. The trackpad support made a big difference to the overall usability of iPadOS as a computer OS. However the idea of a low-power MacBook using apple processor is highly appealing.

I was wondering if the apple silicon macs will eat into iPad sales? Will iPad still have a place in the Apple ecosystem with these new, light and cool-running Apple Arm macbooks?

I don't think they would cannibalize iPad sales. AS Macs will still be Macs. People that are looking to buy a Macbook won't be buying an iPad, and vice versa. Two completely different device with different interfaces.

 

[Mikael H]

I theoretically love the iPad, but it's only good as a consumption device for me: Reading, looking at photos, watching the odd movie. It worked for some writing too, but only with a keyboard. I've gone through three Smart Keyboards in four years, so that product simply doesn't work for me, and if I'm going to get a Magic Keyboard I may as well just buy a laptop that has the correct weight distribution to begin with.

In other words: I need a proper laptop. I like the iPad. If I can afford both I may think it's worth the expense. If I can't I'm definitely prioritizing the more flexible Mac over the more portable iPad.

 

[kazmac]

I theoretically love the iPad, but it's only good as a consumption device for me: Reading, looking at photos, watching the odd movie. It worked for some writing too, but only with a keyboard. I've gone through three Smart Keyboards in four years, so that product simply doesn't work for me, and if I'm going to get a Magic Keyboard I may as well just buy a laptop that has the correct weight distribution to begin with.

In other words: I need a proper laptop. I like the iPad. If I can afford both I may think it's worth the expense. If I can't I'm definitely prioritizing the more flexible Mac over the more portable iPad.

Similar, for me, though writing is better on the Mac. Use the iPad for art/some consumption, and the Mac for everything else.

I do not think AS Macs will cannibalize iPads. I look forward to using both (as I have with various iPads and the iMac).

 

[AnthonyHarris]

Debated whether to go with the iPad Air 4 or wait for the Apple silicon macs this year- decided to go with the Air 4 and magic keyboard as the combination will likely still be a bit cheaper than the MacBook option and I appreciate having a back-facing camera to scan documents/ using it as a tablet at home. The trackpad support made a big difference to the overall usability of iPadOS as a computer OS. However the idea of a low-power MacBook using apple processor is highly appealing.

I was wondering if the apple silicon macs will eat into iPad sales? Will iPad still have a place in the Apple ecosystem with these new, light and cool-running Apple Arm macbooks?

It’s not impossible, but I find it quite hard to imagine.

Unless the new Macs have touch screens (which has been rumoured at least in passing due to the look of Big Sur) and pencil support, they’re not going to be competing products.

 

[AnthonyHarris]

I don't think they would cannibalize iPad sales. AS Macs will still be Macs. People that are looking to buy a Macbook won't be buying an iPad, and vice versa. Two completely different device with different interfaces.

I think it’s fair to say that many people actually have an iPad and a MacBook. I have a MacBook Pro 16 and the iPad Pro 2020. The Mac is for my CAD design and the iPad is for digital art and funnily enough, more often than not my video editing. It is often quicker to export than the Mac but without the noise.

I think an arm based Mac will replace my Intel Mac as soon as I can afford to do it.

 

[pshufd]

I think it’s fair to say that many people actually have an iPad and a MacBook. I have a MacBook Pro 16 and the iPad Pro 2020. The Mac is for my CAD design and the iPad is for digital art and funnily enough, more often than not my video editing. It is often quicker to export than the Mac but without the noise.

I think an arm based Mac will replace my Intel Mac as soon as I can afford to do it.

I could get one immediately as I only need it for consumption, writing, analyzing charts. I can run all of this on my Windows Battleship right now but wouldn't mind trying out AS to kick the tires.

 

[ADGrant]

I really don’t see the problem. One would not dominate or consume the other.

A 12.9" iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard costs about the same or more than a 13" Mac Book. An AS Mac Book should be able to run both iPad Apps and MacOS apps, many of which do not have reasonable equivalents on iPad OS. A Mac provides a Unix command line, a huge library of software development tools and a real choice of Web browsers. A Mac Book is better for video calls because, unlike the iPad, the front facing camera is in a sensible place.

OTOH There may be iOS/iPad apps that will be blocked from MacOS, Macs don't currently have touch screens or pen support. There is no integrated LTE/5G modem available. A MacBook keyboard is permanently attached. It has that rear camera which can be useful for scanning documents.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

In few cases it might be the case. But until today I can’t run Xcode on iPad hence need a Mac anyway. But I hardly use my Mac for daily stuff like email etc. that’s on the iPads.
Eventually I expect they get merged; in a few years after both OS forks are combined and the Intel got vintage

 

[pshufd]

In few cases it might be the case. But until today I can’t run Xcode on iPad hence need a Mac anyway. But I hardly use my Mac for daily stuff like email etc. that’s on the iPads.
Eventually I expect they get merged; in a few years after both OS forks are combined and the Intel got vintage

I often piece together emails or web posts from other emails or web posts doing window captures or reformatting using text tools or grabbing images. I find this easy to do on a PC but rather difficult on an iPad.

I often post charts on forums as well. This usually means using a chart annotation tool using stockcharts.com and a mouse is much better to use for fine work than a finger. I then do a window capture of the chart, save it to a file and then use an upload tool on a forum (that's the way it works).

 

[Robert Dupuy]

I won’t buy another iPad. I need a Macbook for xcode. But as the Apple silicon Macbook can run iPad apps I wont need an iPad for anything additional. The form factor is OK but I get the mobility I need from a laptop.

I have at times went with desktop mac and iPad for portability plus even a macbook for macos portability . But frankly Apple priced me out of the tower market at six grand. I was a tower user for decades but the last for me was circa 2010....had it till last year. Anyway dont care anymore. simple laptop for everything is my new strategy, its all stupid fast

 

[Erehy Dobon]

The vast majority of Mac/iPad users don't use Xcode.

Once you add a keyboard to the iPad Pro, there's very little in physical dimension usage than the smallest MacBook.

It really comes down to what applications you primarily use.

 

[Tech198]

Interesting, but don't forget iOS is one step apart of Silicon with iOS apps..

You go where the apps are, not just what is the best tech/permanence at the moment. It's ok having a silicon based mac, but it will be like a doorstop if your apps not been updated yet, but they run fine on iOS, always have done.
Plus allot more iOS than Mac apps. Add silicon Mac to that and running apps will pushed back.

 

[Erehy Dobon]

Absolutely.

An operating system is a big complicated program that lets multiple big complicated programs co-exist peacefully on the same system.