iPad quarterly sales grow year-over-year for the first time since 2013, best non-holiday q...

Posted:
in iPad edited August 2017
Apple's most recent quarter of iPad sales is not only the first time that iPad sales have grown year-over-year since 2013, but its best non-holiday quarter for sales of the tablet for two years.




In Tuesday's quarterly earnings report, Apple declared that it had sold 11.42 million iPads on the quarter, generating $4.97 billion in revenue. In the last quarter, Apple noted 8.92 million units sold, with a revenue of $3.89 billion.

In the year-ago quarter, Apple's sales volume was significantly less than this quarter, with 9.95 million units sold. Revenue was close to this last quarter's, with $4.88 billion gleaned from the device, mostly on the strength of the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro.




On March 21, Apple released the entry-level fifth generation iPad. The new iPad is the size of the original iPad Air, and features the A9 processor with M9 motion co-processor, and starts at $329 for 32GB of storage. The third fiscal quarter is the first full quarter of availability of the device.

The 10.5-inch iPad Pro was revealed during the 2017 WWDC keynote, with the new mid-size offering in the line receiving a larger 120Hz refresh 10.5-inch display with thinner bezels, the A10X Fusion processor, while still weighing just one pound.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    I still think that tablets are the future of portable computing; glad to see purchases increasing again. I wonder if the next set of iPads will have the same front-facing layout as the iPhone 7S/11th iPhone or if they'll inexplicably have the old design stick around for one more revision.
    netmageSpamSandwichcornchip
  • Reply 2 of 20
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Will we see a resurgence of iPad sales going forward or is this just a blip from having just released new iPads?
    edited August 2017 albegarc
  • Reply 3 of 20
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    I still think that tablets are the future of portable computing; glad to see purchases increasing again. I wonder if the next set of iPads will have the same front-facing layout as the iPhone 7S/11th iPhone or if they'll inexplicably have the old design stick around for one more revision.
    IPads are a tool that fills a specific niche.   The surprising thing here is that the volume is larger than the entire Mac Market.  People have claimed for a long time that the iPad was dying even though sales where very strong and simply level out after the noel nature of the device passed.    Now people are seeing real value in iPad and thus sales are once again moving forward.    It doesn't hurt either that performance now matches lowish end laptops.

    What would really drive iPad sales is a full scripting environment for the basic apps.   Once people can employ the same power user techniques with iPad that we see with other platforms the wider its acceptance will be.   Being able to script Numbers and some of the other apps would drastically improve the platforms utility.   
    doozydozencornchip
  • Reply 4 of 20
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member

    Soli said:
    Will we see a resurgence of iPad sales going forward or is this just a blip from having just released new iPads?
    You need to remember that iPad sales are still incredibly good relative to the Mac lineup.   The platform has been a huge success for Apple.   As far as being a blip, I'm not sure it is that simple to categorize.   iPad represents a market all on its own and frankly is the only well accepted tablet computer out there.    So if they are selling 10 million a quarter then there has to be a demand out there for that number.   10 million (using around number here) is a lot of product for any manufacture to move and may very well represent the base from which sales can increase. Just realize that that is significantly better than the Mac market so I'm not sure why people get so negative about IPad sales numbers.   
    lolliverdoozydozen
  • Reply 5 of 20
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    wizard69 said:
    I still think that tablets are the future of portable computing; glad to see purchases increasing again. I wonder if the next set of iPads will have the same front-facing layout as the iPhone 7S/11th iPhone or if they'll inexplicably have the old design stick around for one more revision.
    People have claimed for a long time that the iPad was dying even though sales where very strong and simply level out after the noel nature of the device passed. 
    And it grew faster than the iPhone, so one might also assume it will plateau faster, too.
    jony0lolliverdoozydozencornchip
  • Reply 6 of 20
    jdgazjdgaz Posts: 403member
    One of two iPads in this home replaced this year. Second one could be before or at the holidays.
    bb-15doozydozenwatto_cobraalbegarccornchip
  • Reply 7 of 20
    emoelleremoeller Posts: 574member
    IOS11 will really push/pull sales of the recently upgraded iPads, especially the Pro models.   I think this will be the start of the long awaited upgrade cycle for iPads.  

    I purchased the 10.5" and plan on using it for 90% of my traveling work starting this fall.  Of course that means my 2013 MBP refresh will be delayed....
    tmaynetmagedoozydozenwatto_cobraSpamSandwichalbegarc
  • Reply 8 of 20
    qwweraqwwera Posts: 281member
    I bought  a new 12.9 pro for the pencil and iOS 11. It took forever to receive it. Figured that they may be selling more than they anticipated,
    doozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 20
    I am seriously considering buying iPad Pro 10.5, and that is going to be my first iPad. It looks like it is indeed a fine machine to own...
    lolliverdoozydozenradarthekatwatto_cobraSpamSandwichalbegarccornchippscooter63
  • Reply 10 of 20
    I heard on the podcast Upgrade, "...if you do little or no 'work' on the iPad, get the new 2017 iPad!" B/c of all it's upgrades and starting price of $329.

    Both commentators were committed to 'working' on the latest iPad Pro's. One said he has the 12" for home and uses 10.7' for traveling. Interesting approach. (Too bad the larger one doesn't come in Rose Gold!) 

    I just bought a 2017 MacBook (Rose Gold) and love the low weight, KB, speed, long battery life/fast recharge and Retina display.

    I also have an iPad Mini and am considering an iPad Pro 10.7" I may sell my Mini ($100), use the iPad Pro and may even consider selling my new MacBook and going 'all-in' with the iPad/iOS. Who knows! :)
    edited August 2017 doozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 20
    bb-15bb-15 Posts: 283member
    jdgaz said:
    One of two iPads in this home replaced this year. Second one could be before or at the holidays.
    Same with me. 
    With us the price / performance of the $329 iPad is too good to pass up. 
    edited August 2017 doozydozenwatto_cobraSpamSandwich
  • Reply 12 of 20
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    Awesome news and well deserved. I absolutely love my 10.5" Pro as well as the pencil. A near perfect device and cuts through everything like a knife through hot butter, and at 120fps. 
    doozydozenwatto_cobrapscooter63
  • Reply 13 of 20
    Soli said:
    Will we see a resurgence of iPad sales going forward or is this just a blip from having just released new iPads?

    I'm hoping iOS 11 become the OS that drives iPad sales up.
    doozydozenwatto_cobracornchip
  • Reply 14 of 20
    I am seriously considering buying iPad Pro 10.5, and that is going to be my first iPad. It looks like it is indeed a fine machine to own...
    My father-in-law owns one. It's an exceptional machine. The 120Hz refresh rate is as revolutionizing to experience for the first time as was when mobile displays went retina. Add wide color gambit and true tone, 600 nits brightness, super low reflectivity—my first hands-on (had my 1st gen 12.9" iPad Pro opened next to the 10.5") I was taken aback by the strong capabilities of the 10.5". With the release of iOS 11 in the Fall, I'm scared how dominate this machine will end up being. 
    watto_cobracornchip
  • Reply 15 of 20
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    Soli said:
    Will we see a resurgence of iPad sales going forward or is this just a blip from having just released new iPads?
    I believe we will see some growth return - so not just a quarter or two blip - but not strong growth. There is a large installed base that is continuing to age, and the usage and satisfaction studies point to people still using them. With the lower price points for the 9.7" model as the main driver (starting at 32GB which is a nice increase for many), you should see some people get off the older iPad 2/3/4s. The pro models sales will increase with iOS 11 and ARkit. 

    I think AR apps will be a factor in driving some growth. It will look the best on the bigger screens compared with the phone.  
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 20
    TuuborTuubor Posts: 53member
    I have to say I am LOVING my new iPad Pro 12,9 with the Apple Pencil. It replaced my nearly 4 year old iPad Air 1st gen witch wasn't seeing much action due to the smaller screen and not being able to use the Apple Pencil.

    I am a musician, guitar teacher and I do photography, photomanipulation and vector graphics as a hobby. I can do all of it on my iPad Pro now with the great big screen that can fit a proper sized sheet of music on it that I can mark up in rehearsals or when teaching my students. I dont have to carry any papers with me because I scan all of it to my iPad with a scanner app. I can also edit my photos taken with a DSLR on Affinity Photo. Still waiting for Affinity to launch Designer (vector graphics) for the iPad though. Also can't wait for iOS 11 to take the whole thing to yet another level!!

    I tried to do all of this with the older iPad but the hardware and software wasn't there yet. Now it is!!! Simply amazing!! 
    pscooter63
  • Reply 17 of 20
    A friend of mine brought last weekend his new iPad Pro 12,9 with pen and with iOS 11-beta installed. Besides being very stable the combination rocks. It is so amazing to just write on it with no lag and a nice stiff pointed penpoint (my other pens al have this thick stupid looking flabbily penpoint). You rest your palm on the screen and it knows. Then OCR and my text is there ready to use in any document. I am so much more amazed that I thought I would be! This is the future suddenly in my hands. The only sad thing is that there will not be a Mini Pro. I love this form factor for my specific needs. Or, how nice it would be to have an iPad 10,5 Pro and scale down the icons and screen to the Mini setup. Well, you can't have everything.
  • Reply 18 of 20
    A friend of mine brought last weekend his new iPad Pro 12,9 with pen and with iOS 11-beta installed. Besides being very stable the combination rocks. It is so amazing to just write on it with no lag and a nice stiff pointed penpoint (my other pens al have this thick stupid looking flabbily penpoint). You rest your palm on the screen and it knows. Then OCR and my text is there ready to use in any document. I am so much more amazed that I thought I would be! This is the future suddenly in my hands. The only sad thing is that there will not be a Mini Pro. I love this form factor for my specific needs. Or, how nice it would be to have an iPad 10,5 Pro and scale down the icons and screen to the Mini setup. Well, you can't have everything.
    Apple does sell a 10.5 inch iPad Pro, launched in Jun-2017.
    cornchip
  • Reply 19 of 20
    anton zuykovanton zuykov Posts: 1,056member
    Reporting back.
    After much deliberation, I bought iPad Pro 10.5 256Gb Space Grey yesterday. I had a bit of a buyer remorse after I swiped the card. That is, I HAD it before I opened that white box and actually started using the device..  What a nice piece of engineering art that thing is.. I am amazed by fluidity and smoothness of the UI and I am enjoying it very much!
    760-ish bucks well spent.
    doozydozenTuuborcornchip
  • Reply 20 of 20
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,945member
    jdgaz said:
    One of two iPads in this home replaced this year. Second one could be before or at the holidays.
    I generally buy used, but the 10.5" iPad Pro + Pencil was too much to resist. My used ipad4 went to the wife & the iPad 2 is now the kid's. 

    iPad Pro + Pencil is awesome for anyone who hasn't experienced it yet, BTW. 

    On on an unrelated note, while waiting my turn at Simply Mac I played around with a MacBook Pro with touch bar. Guys. It's the way of the future. Physical buttons go bye bye.
    pscooter63anton zuykov
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