Sales of Apple’s iPads, including the upcoming iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, may take a hit this year, as the tablet market continues to grow saturated and sales growth continues to decline. This was pointed out late last week by market analysts, who all believe this slowdown may be most pronounced in North America and Europe, two continents where iPad sales have traditionally been bullish.
According to IDC research director for tablets Jean-Philippe Bouchard, so-called “mature markets”, meaning economically-strong markets where tablet shipments and/or sales have usually shown strength, may combine for firm, or flat sales growth in 2014. IDC believes that most of the growth will be experienced in emerging markets, as tablet shipments in those countries may combine for a 12 percent year-over-year growth.
With an iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 supposedly due for release before the end of the year, iPad sales have contracted in three out of the last five quarters, and the March-ending (Q1 2014) and June-ending (Q2 2014) frames of this year. Sales were down 16 percent in Q1, and down 9 percent in Q2, and Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White believes this downward trend will continue for the rest of the calendar year. He believes iPad sales may total 12.8 million in the third quarter of 2014, and 23 million in the fourth quarter of 2014, and while these numbers may seem strong, it suggests that the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 may not drive sales as much as new models typically would; the above stats would mark 9 percent and 12 percent year-over-year declines respectively.
Interestingly, but not too shockingly, Apple remains committed to the iPad, with CEO Tim Cook having recently told Re/Code writer and industry veteran Walt Mossberg that declines in iPad sales have merely amounted to a “speed bump.” Cook also said in July’s quarterly earnings call for Q2 2014 that the tablet space is “still in its early days”, and “significant innovation” is still expected going forward for the iPad product line.