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Apple ready with new iPads: 'Let Loose' event 7 May

Translate from : Apple klar med nye iPads: 'Let Loose' event 7. Maj

The event is an important showcase for Apple, which wants to inspire consumers to upgrade to new iPads. This comes at a time when Apple's iPad business is "just okay" but weak. The company has the largest market share in tablet sales, but iPad sales are no longer growing.

Apple has admitted weakness in the iPad business — it still generated $7.78 billion last quarter, which is healthy, but the overall tablet market is flat. In fact, in the fourth quarter of 2023, tablet shipments saw a large drop, marking the largest drop in Q4 shipments since 2016.

Sales fell by more than 20 percent in 2023 to hit a new low since 2011, according to market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC). Nevertheless, iPads are still very popular. However, Apple faces the same challenge as its competitors. People aren't upgrading to new iPads, and that's going to be a problem for Apple in the long run.

Apple was rumored to introduce new iPad models alongside new Macs last year. This did not happen. In fact, the company hasn't introduced new iPads in 18 months. The last launch of new iPads and iPad Pros took place in October 2022. This clearly shows that Apple is waiting for the market to come back and reach pre-pandemic levels, or that the root of the problem lies within.

Insiders cite a lack of hype in the tablet market as well as the confusing iPad lineup as reasons for the lack of new iPads on the market. In the early days of iPads, the lineup was simplified, making it easier to choose a device. Over time, Apple has added more options, and the change in the narrative that the iPad is a laptop replacement has not gone down well with customers.

The result was confused customers. First, there were too many models on the market in different sizes and price ranges, some packed with large screens and more processing power. In addition, Apple continued to sell older models and offer accessories that work with some iPads. For example, Apple sells three different versions of Apple Pencils. The new budget stylus introduced last year does not work with Apple's cheapest iPad, while their high end Pencil is not compatible with the latest iPad.

The high-end iPad Pro is a different matter. There are two models to choose from, but apart from the size difference, they are pretty much the same. However, the biggest problem with the iPad continued to be its high price (as well as accessories) and the operating system it ran on. It made the iPad lineup incredibly complicated and left frustrated users who wanted an iPad but instead chose not to buy it because of the confusion.

Apple is holding a spring event next week to modernize its iPad lineup. This is the first acknowledgment that the iPad needs to be less confusing, potentially boosting sales.