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Christina Bonnington reports that the public is not gobbling up iPads like they used to. Analysts had projected iPad sales would reach 19.7 million but Apple's financial results for the second quarter of its fiscal 2014 show they sold 16.35 million iPads, a drop of roughly 16.4 percent since last year. "For many, the iPad they have is good enough unlike a phone, with significant new features like Touch ID, or a better camera, the iPad's improvements over the past few years have been more subtle," writes Bonnington. "The latest iterations feature a better Retina display, a slimmer design, and faster processing. Improvements, yes, but enough to justify a near thousand dollar purchase? Others seem to be finding that their smartphone can do the job that their tablet used to do just as well, especially on those larger screened phablets."
According to Andrew Cunningham the takeaway from Apple's sales drop in iPads is that Apple's past growth has been driven mostly by entering entirely new product categories, like it did when it introduced the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad in 2010 and that Apple needs an entirely new category to fuel future growth. "The most persistent rumors [of a new product category] involve TV (whether a new Apple TV set-top box or an entire television set) and wearable computing devices (the perennially imminent "iWatch"), but calls for larger and cheaper iPhones also continue."
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Sir Garlon on Friday April 25 2014, @08:44PM
Apple may "need" a new product category, but there is no evidence that consumers do.
[Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
(Score: 1) by frojack on Saturday April 26 2014, @01:42AM
Well there was precious little evidence that we needed smart phones either, Prior to their appearance around 2007. A few geeks pecking away at PDA's desperately seeking free wifi was as close as it came.
Look again just 7 years later and see how smart phones have changed everything. The world wide penetration is phenomenal. 3D TV came and went in the same period. Electric cars have barely made any significant inroad.
The more argumentative among you will humph, and say none of the change has been for the better, and the curmudgeon will insist his old land line is all that he needs.
But the sales numbers and the penetration all say those views are wrong.
Consumers (almost by definition) never recognize a need for something until it is available. Whatever is next will probably take us by surprise (again). There will
be those that claim it is useless, drowned out by those clamoring for it.
The definition of the word "need" is relative.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.