iPad, Beginning to Lose Its Charm
The iPad was such a big hit when Steve Jobs introduced it six years ago, not so unlike the populace’s fascination over the iPhone when it was first introduced.
iPad, Beginning to Lose Its CharmTaking a wobbly path as Apple’s iPad dropped by 25%
Five years later, iPad has suffered its first lowest sales ever last Christmas as sales of iPads plummeted to a surprising 25%. This was revealed in Apple’s quarterly earnings announcement. iPad has never experienced such dismal sales since 2011 only because when it was still very new in the market.
Overall, 16.1 million iPads were sold within the Christmas quarter in contrast to the 26 million sold when it was on its peak two years ago. Quite a big difference. Some retail stores have resorted to creating good deals to no avail.
Could this be a temporary phase iPad is going through or could this be a sign of worse things to come? The challenge that Apple continues to face is distribution. It might even reach a point where smartphones could become as sensational as digital watches.
The very obvious reason for the loss of interest over iPad is the increasing popularity of the bigger “phablets” such as iPhone 6s and 6s plus. These are the ones responsible for the slow demise of the iPad. I personally do not see why they would be preferred choice because it is too big for calling but too small for computing. And they are way too expensive.
Apple has been known to be successful in cannibalizing sales. The iPhone put the iPod to rest and this scheme is favored by all innovative and successful companies. Nevertheless, it constricts the profit that could be gained from previous products and reduces the potential sales in other parts.
Disappointing S6 performance
Still, there is no telling how people’s buying habitsgo. They get so enthusiastic with new and very expensive smartphones that do not have that much innovation over the ones that they already have. iPhone sales, has plateaued and Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook is foreseeing further decline in sales for the second quarter. There is a need to have an entirely new and innovative product every year or every two years to keep the consumer’s enthusiasm and to keep them buying. There is indeed a lack of new must-have devices to compensate for the disappointing performance of the iPhone S6. Even with all the hype, the most recent 6s models did not create enough wave even among the Apple enthusiasts.
iPad, Beginning to Lose Its CharmLooking Forward to iPhone 7
Now, everybody’s eyes will be trained on the iPhone 7 which might yet save Apple from its decimation. Following Apple’s release trends, the iPhone 7 could very well be released in the fall. iPhone 6 and 6S made their appearance in September.