Looks like the M4 iPad Pro did the trick a little too well for Apple. Latest data shows that the iPad Pro was the best-selling iPad in the June quarter.
M4 iPad Pro Helped Apple Boost Sales of the Lineup – iPad, iPad Air and iPad mini Lose Sales to it
Launched earlier this year, the M4 iPad Pro is a beast of a tablet in terms of specs. From the powerful M4 chip to the tandem OLED display, and not to forget the ultra-thin design, Apple absolutely overdid it. No-one needs this much power and features in a tablet and that’s the reason I absolutely love it. It’s unnecessarily good.
A little too good, in fact. If you look at the latest iPad sales data from CIRP, it seems as though the iPad Pro was a huge hit in the June quarter of 2024 compared to 2023. But, if you look at the numbers closely, you’ll start to notice something interesting.
While the iPad Pro saw a growth from 38% to 43% in the the June quarter compared to last year, every other iPad model fell in growth – in other words, the iPad Pro ate into the rest of the lineup. What’s weird is how expensive the new M4 lineup is – the iPad Pro 11-inch model starts at $999, while the 13-inch tablet starts at $1,299. Yet, people preferred to get the iPad Pro. Not specifically the M3 iPad Pro, but the iPad Pro in general.
To put things into perspective, the entry-level iPad sales unchanged after a year and the number sits at 35%. The iPad Air lost a bit of interest and the sales chunk went from 15% to 12%. The iPad mini lost a little sales, too. The number went from 12% to 10% in a year. That’s understandable, given it’s due for a refresh. But, how does one explain iPad Air? Given how it got one of the best-ever upgrade with the M2 chip, it’s the perfect value tablet.
It’s fascinating how users are willing to buy the iPad Pro, despite its seemingly high price. Also keep in mind that Apple’s iPad saw overall growth compared to the last June quarter, according to Apple’s own Q3 2024 earnings call.
These numbers are definitely eye-opening. As we go into the future, people are preferring to get the iPad Pro more and more compared to lower-end models. Does this mean the iPad is going to be the computer of the future? I certainly believe it is.
At this point in time, if you’re out to get an iPad Pro, just don’t get the M4 model or the new M2 iPad Air. Spend that money on the older M1 or M2 iPad Pro instead. It has that fast ProMotion display and all the bragging rights you get from owning the iPad Pro.
