“The tablet computer market isn’t what it used to be, and it ain’t for growth investors,” John Shinal reports for USA Today. “Fourth-quarter and year-end tablet shipment figures from market researcher IDC show that growth has nearly evaporated for the iPad, the iPad Mini, and competing devices from Samsung and others.”
“Even though fourth-quarter shipments of iPads fell almost 18% from a year earlier, Apple fared better than rivals Samsung and Amazon,” Shinal reports. “Unit shipments dropped 18.4% for the Korean giant and a staggering 70% for Seattle-based Amazon.”
Shinal reports, “Even though Apple lost more points of tablet market share during all of 2014, the market’s recent stall looks to be a bigger problem for Samsung than for Apple.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple sold 21.419 million iPads last quarter. Roughly a quarter of a million iPads per day.
iPad will be just fine. The sales ramp was so abrupt, there was bound to be some leveling off. This story is just getting started.
Related article:
The one huge thing everybody gets wrong about tablets – February 3, 2015
iPad’s unlike iPhones have a longer life span for the user, there isn’t a compelling need to upgrade an iPad like many feel for the iPhone. I am sure that many that have an iPad Air didn’t feel the need to run out and get an iPad Air 2, though some are probably pondering the iPad Air 3, when that hits the street later this year
What makes you think a new iPad will be called iPad Air 3 ?
iPhone sales are driven by the phone element and its link to the “package deal” over 2 years. Its just a form of Hire Purchase and a data bundle.
iPad sales are one off purchases and I bet few are on HP terms. So its a big chunk of change each time you buy one and therefore you tend to buy less often. Combined, of course, with a product reliability and longevity that is different to a phone.
Seems like the press is ignoring the news about Samsung and the staggering failure of Amazon.
Like that: “staggering failure of Amazon”.
Hope it becomes a meme.
IDC, as other market share manipulators (on behalf of their esteemed clients such as Microsoft) have been caught out by the nonsense surrounding ‘Tablet’ marketshare.
There is only one real tablet market, called an ‘iPad market’; everything else is wannabe crap, trying to aspire to the iPad simplicity of use and unrivalled ecosystem, that seamlessly binds the iPad into the same world as iPhones, Macs and the different Apple Inc. App Stores. These other ‘tablets’ have been shown to be draw stuffers (where they end up after initial unsatisfactory use).
The Apple Inc. multi-device strategy is changing before our very eyes:
1. Truly mobile: iPhones (5s, 5c, 6 & 6 Plus)
2. Mobile: iPad (Mini, Air 2)
3. Portable (Macbook Air, Pro)
4. Desktop (iMac, MacPro)
where Apple Inc. have moved the emphasis of a ‘mini’ iPad form factor into the Truly mobile category under the name iPhone 6 Plus.
The result will see a change to the so called ‘iPad market’, because users are now purchasing iPhone 6 Plus, where they would previously have purchases an iPad Mini. From an Apple Inc. standpoint, their interest is in the total no. of device sales that support their ecosystem.
The sheer no. of iPhones purchased in the last quarter (74.5 million) supports these observations, while also showing that Apple Inc. can ship 21.5 million traditional iPads (Mini & Airs).
So a YoY comparison, shows that Apple Inc. shipped 77 million iPhones and iPads in Q12014 and nearly 96 million iPhones and iPads in Q12015; quite a result for their total mobile devices sector, I think you would agree!!
News about nothing. iPads have long life, as described in the 5,000,000 articles and threads just in the last week.
People keep complaining that the iPhone 6+ is taking market share/sales away from the iPad. That’s a GOOD thing for Apple. Why? Because people replace their iPhones far more frequently than their iPads, plus they buy more Made for iPhone accessories than they do for iPads.
Once again, Apple wins and so do we.
The Apple iPad is in a market by itself, ie, iPad market. All the wannabes are in the Tablet market. 😀
How would the iPad market share has fared if you didn’t count the “Other” category? Because only in IDC’s fantasy land do these tablets truly compete with the iPad.
——RM
Good take MDN. A case of too much success with too good and long-lasting a product. Maybe a big tweak to the Mini this year and a new line of ‘pro user’ tablets will keep things moving (and the keep the hapless opposition on the wane).
The Surface Pro 3 is the new thing and what people wanted in 2014, something that can be a full functional laptop, desktop (with external screens/BT mouse and keyboard), and a tablet, with an outstanding performance.
A refrigerator a toaster and a coffee maker all in one Sounds good. But the real question is will it blend?
iPads have a long life and some generation one, two and certainly generation three and up are still being used …..
A lot of folks use their iPad for email, media consumption, photos and some games and all iPads from day one do all of that and do it well …..
Going forward don’t look for huge sales gains rather a steady increase in overall stats like web browsing as more units are so,d and live long lives!