- iPad sales decline despite Apple’s new product launches
- Social media debates iPad’s relevance, contrasting student and lawyer perspectives
- Apple’s latest iPad updates, including M4 chip and Magic Pencil
Steve Jobs declared the iPad to be more convenient than a laptop and more potent than a smartphone when he first unveiled it in 2010.
Nevertheless, over ten years have passed and the iPad still fails to fulfill this initial promise.
iPad sales have decreased in tandem with the growth in size and power of smartphones, contributing a mere six percent to Apple’s revenue for the current fiscal year.
However, Apple made headlines this week with the introduction of the iPad Pro and iPad Air.
Some technology enthusiasts have been prompted to inquire on social media: Who is still purchasing iPads?
The iPad was Apple’s most successful product introduction to date when it debuted, with annual sales of 25 million and tablet sales exceeding one million in less than one month.
However, ever since its highly anticipated debut, the product seems to have progressively lost popularity.
Apple disclosed in the second quarter of 2024 that iPad revenue decreased by 17% compared to the same period the previous year, from £5.36 billion ($6.7bn) to £4.48 billion ($5.6bn).
Similarly, iPad sales decreased by 25% during the initial quarter of the year.
Although Jobs predicted that the iPad would occupy a market niche between the iPad and Macbook, he may have been off target on this occasion.
IDC projects that the global smartphone market will reach approximately 1.1 billion units in 2023, whereas the sales of iPads and other tablet devices will amount to a mere 130 million units.
This implies that tablets might be a less desirable technological option in comparison to the convenience offered by smartphones they are becoming more capable.
Furthermore, some technology aficionados on social media argue that purchasing the iPad is not worthwhile.
One technology enthusiast remarked on X (previously Twitter): “Who the hell is still purchasing iPads?”
Another inquired, “Are iPads still being purchased?” “Only graphic designers and bad parents have a legitimate need for an iPad.”
In the interim, one commenter further stated, “People purchase iPads only to discover they do not require one.”
There are still proponents of the iPad on social media, one of whom asserts that it is an excellent choice for note-taking.
A student remarked on X how revolutionary the iPad had been.
Additionally, they stated, “There is no need to carry heavy books.” Create and access notes from any device using the iPad. Never before has locating particulars in my study notes been so effortless.
An additional commentator asserted, “Lawyers are, in fact, lining up to purchase iPads.”
The commenter described the tablets as a “huge relief” and significantly more efficient in the courtroom than carrying bags of files or documents.
CEO Tim Cook disclosed at the recent ‘Let Loose’ event that Apple remained committed to allocating resources towards its tablet product line.
At the event, which Mr. Cook referred to as “the biggest day for iPad since its inception,” significant updates were unveiled for the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad accessories.
The 13-inch iPad Air model has been considerably enlarged to accommodate users desiring additional screen real estate without incurring the additional expense of the Pro model.
The M2 chip is included in both the 11′ model, which costs £599 (US price $599), and the 13′ variant, which costs £799 ($799).
Apple claims that this will increase the speed of both models by approximately 50% compared to the 2020 model, which utilized the M1 processor.
However, the most significant updates were implemented in the iPad Pro, which now sports the brand-new M4 microprocessor.
Tim Cook referred to this as “an absurdly potent chip for artificial intelligence” and guaranteed that it would be at least fifty percent faster than the older M2 chip.
Additionally, the iPad Pro is considerably lighter and thinner than its predecessor, and its displays are now more pixelated thanks to what Apple terms the Ultra Retina XDR.
The 13′ model, which costs £1,299 ($1,299) and costs £999 ($999), is 5.3mm thick and 5.1mm thick, respectively, making it Apple’s narrowest product.
Apple’s £129 ($129) instrument, the Magic Pencil, also features haptic controls in the form of a “squeeze function” and brush shape modification via pencil rolling.
Additionally, those who frequently misplace their pens will be pleased to learn that the device has been updated to support the Find My feature.
Additionally, the Magic Keyboard attachment was upgraded with a larger trackpad and an aluminum exterior, which Apple claims “feels exactly like using a MacBook.”
Notwithstanding the iPad’s unfavorable history, analysts remain optimistic that this may represent a positive development.
Analyst at PP Foresight Paolo Pescatore stated to MailOnline, “The new lineup features substantial enhancements that will appeal to a wide variety of users, consumers, and businesses.
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Significantly, this occurs when existing iPad owners will be considering an upgrade.
Mr. Pescatore observes that the availability of a larger display and a more potent processor could serve as a significant incentive for clients seeking an alternative to their existing technology.
Moreover, the multitude of new features and multitasking capabilities “brought us one step closer to abandoning the laptop entirely,” he further states.
The incorporation of the M4 processor, which possesses AI capabilities, additionally emerges as a notably compelling feature.
It is rumored that this potent chip’s ‘neural processor’ for artificial intelligence is 400 times quicker than that of the M2 and is the fastest available.
Next month’s Apple Developer Conference may mark the company’s readiness to unveil additional AI-driven enhancements that utilize this hardware.
