iPad vs iPhone 2013 Sales Growth: What Can Apple Expect from their iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2?
Apple will be hosting a press event on Tuesday, October 22. As reports indicate, Apple will be launching a series of products like the 2013 MacBook Pro, iPad 5 and iPad Mini. As the market waits for one of the biggest names in tech to release its products, there are concerns whether Apple can still deliver sales and reception like it used to. A look at the growth sales of iPads and iPhones can help shed sight of what lies ahead for the tech giant.
The bigger iPad which retained its design from 2011 will finally go through a transformation. According to reports, Apple will be launching a thinner and lighter version. The iPad Mini, on other hand, still remains a mystery. Some sources say it will offer better resolution, others say it will have the same screen. Many sources think Apple will render a sharper screen for the iPad Mini, but in reality this remains to be seen.
The refreshed iPad will be a great move for Apple. It has been a long time coming and the market drought has been affecting Apple's market share. In the previous quarter, Apple was only able to sell 14.6 million iPads. This is less than what analysts predicted according to a report by Business Insider.
Forecasts were at 18 million units sold. Apple is short of almost 4 million. Additionally, the recorded sales for iPad last quarter correspond to a 14% year-over-year drop for the company. Analysts are saying iPads can experience another drop in sales for this current quarter.
Morgan Stanley predicts Apple will only sell 13 million iPads. This will mean a 7% drop on a year-over-year basis. This may be a shocking turnout for the tech giant and iPads. The slate happens to be one of the best selling devices on the market. The iPhone, on the other hand, never went through a year-over-year decline when it comes to unit growth.
Back when Apple released the original iPad, the market went crazy over it. The device posted crazy results including growth. This gave the idea that any product labeled with the iPad's brand will continue to have off-the-charts sales.
The sales are not getting any higher unfortunately. Some say the early success of the iPad line may be a factor for declining sales. Other analysts argue that the iPad do not follow a similar upgrade cycle like the iPhone. For instance, people buy tablets like iPad very three or four years unlike phones. People tend to change phones in less than a year. The iPhone may also be overlapping with iPad. It combines portability and multitasking features, thus it has more value over iPad.
Regardless of the scenario, analysts say Apple better figure out to sustain or improve the iPad line. It has been an important factor in the company's success throughout the years. With the iPad 5 and iPad Mini coming soon, the company may still be able to overturn the declining sales.