Even though Apple is expected to launch a new
supersized iPad model in 2015, that’s not going
to be enough to improve Apple’s iPad sales this
year, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo
revealed in a note to investors on Friday.
FROM EARLIER: Can an iPad really replace your
PC? Yes, and one Apple blogger set out to prove
it
Kuo — who has been correct on numerous
occasions when it comes to unreleased Apple
products and plans, and who was the only one
to correctly predict the record number of
iPhones sold during the company’s Christmas
quarter — expects Apple to ship 30% fewer
iPads in 2015 compared to last year, which
would make it Apple’s biggest tablet sales
decline in the iPad’s short history.
In the first half of 2015 alone, iPad shipments
will drop significantly, with Apple seen selling
about 18 million units. Shipments will increase
in the second half of the year, but Kuo believes
Apple will struggle sell 45 million iPads for the
full year.
The analyst also said that the 12.9-inch
iPad — referred to as iPad Pro , iPad Air Plus or
iPad Plus — might not help Apple increase iPad
sales much in 2015.
“Contribution to shipments of 12.9-inch debut
limited; retail promotion of existing models may
not work well,” he said in the note, which was
picked up by 9to5Mac . “While we are confident
a new 12.9-inch iPad model can create improved
user experience with enhanced productivity in
the long term, we don’t anticipate it will
contribute meaningfully to shipments momentum
anytime soon, since its commercialization may
fall behind expectations, leaving limited time
for shipping… Moreover, we are conservative
on promotion, likely executed by Apple (US) or
retailers, of existing products due to the lack
of innovative applications.”
Apple sold 63.4 million iPads in 2014, retaining
its spot as the No. 1 tablet maker in the world,
even though its market share continued to drop
compared to previous years.
A graphic showing Apple’s iPad sales
performance so far, and Kuo’s estimate for
2015, follows below.
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