Apple may be hoping that the iPad Pro can help turn around its flagging tablet sales, but according to a new report sales are off to a somewhat disappointing start — with just 49,000 units selling in the first month in Apple’s much-emphasized China region.
It is likely that the high price of the device, which starts in China at $908, is the reason for the lower-than-expect sales. It may also have something to do with the relative scarcity of the device, however.
Interestingly, today’s report — which comes from the hit-and-miss news outlet Digitimes — doesn’t mention how many sales other iPads achieved in their first month, but rather compared it to shipments. The iPad Air 2 achieved shipments of 557,000 in its first month, while the iPad mini 4 saw 92,000 shipments during the same four-week period.
Comparing shipments to sales isn’t an entirely fair comparison, although unlike companies like Samsung, Apple tends to not overestimate when it comes to shipments versus sales. Either way, it is reported that considerably fewer iPad Pros were shipped during the product’s first month on sale.
China is, of course, only one market — although it’s a market that Apple has placed considerable emphasis on during 2015. During Sunday’s 60 Minutes episode, Tim Cook again confirmed that he thinks China is set to become Apple’s biggest market over the next few years. Cook has previously stated that Apple designs its new products with Chinese consumers in mind.
Not all iPad Pro news is bad, though: some market watchers still expect the worldwide sales of the super-size iPad Pro to reach 3 million units in its first three months of launch, which would generate revenues of $2.4 billion.
Have you bought an iPad Pro yet? Leave your comments below.
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
27 responses to “iPad Pro sales may be off to a disappointing start”
I bought mine on day 1 but had to wait a couple of weeks to get hold of the Pencil. The combination of the two is amazing. Based on how many admiring comments and questions I get about the Pro/Pencil from colleagues at work, I expect sales to gradually increase as word of mouth spreads.
As with all Apple products, it is expensive but if you know what other, competing large tablets and styluses are like to actually use, then Apple has once again shown the industry how to get a user experience right, out of the box.
Scarce availability of iPad pro accessories and some iPad pro models definitely hurt sales
Love my iPad Pro! Using it with the regular Apple bluetooth keyboard allows me to place the Pro anywhere as I work. Best form factor ever! I expect it will catch on.
Sold my iPad pro back in eBay the second day i had it! Was too big for my taste. Screen was top notch, you could feel the speed by just opening regular apps but I quickly figured it was not the right device for me. i now appreciate my iPad air 2 smaller form factor and weight!
Will definitely give it another go in the future thought especially when apps get on board and there are really many pro apps out there to make the most of it! it was annoying to see apps simply scaled up! not many thought!
I bought my iPad Pro a month ago and I’m absolutely in love with it. It fully replaced my MacBook Pro- and with apps like Pixelmator and Pages, I can still do the same amount of work I was doing before (Though I am looking forward to a full version of Adobe Photoshop!) and with Google Drive, I now also have full access to a complete file system to I can actually save my work. I wish the Apple Pencil was more available than it is, but the Logi keyboard is enough to let me actually get stuff done.
It’s an excellent product. Yes, it’s expensive but it’s worth it.
I wouldn’t hold your breath for a full version of Photoshop on iOS. ;-)
Le sigh. It’s true, it may never happen. But there’s no reason why it can’t. If they can get Photoshop to run perfectly on the Surface then there is no reason why not can’t work on the iPad. Different OSs yes, but it can happen. Pixelmator is proof of that :)
You listening Adobe? We want Photoshop! REAL Photoshop.
I bought mine on the first day it went on sale. Love it!
Do you have the keyboard as well and if so how do you like it as well as the cover functionality?
Returned mine after 5 days. It is beautiful (if you don’t use the keyboard), no doubt. But for the price it fails to deliver a compelling solution to any broad part of the market. You cannot control screen scaling to take advantage of the larger size. Most screens and apps just stretch to fill the larger screen space. Palm rejection is not 100%. Bottom speakers are blocked by hands with normal hand held position. Keyboard is terrible. Pen is mostly equivalent to other active pens in the market – nothing that special. Price is way too high for a device with so many compromises and the crippling limitation of a mobile OS. It will enjoy a niche following, but that’s it.
I have never had my palm register while using the pen. Never. And I use it everyday through meetings to take notes and sketch out concepts. Probably at least a dozen hours (if not more) since getting the Pro just under a month ago. The only issue I have is that sometimes when I’m writing near the bottom of the screen, my hand accident;y presses the home button. I’m now in the habit of making sure it is at the top when I’m writing.
Agreed – best Palm rejection on a device ever!
I’ve been working with active pen technology personally for 12 years. I’ve tested and used most technologies. (Please don’t even mention capacitive tech.) I’m reporting my experience with the Pro and it was nothing special. Period. I think it’s fine for those who feel it is good enough. Who cares. I’m just reporting my findings. In fact, I demonstrated the failure of the palm rejection on the Pro to the staff in the Apple store in downtown Portland. Both in OneNote and in Notes. Two things would happen: 1) Palm makes canvas or document move or makes marks – this happens only about 15-20% of the time – worse in OneNote than Notes – but it definitely happens. 2) If you write with your right hand holding the pen and then touch the document wiht the finger of your left hand, the finger will cause marks to happen on the document. In OneNote there is no way to turn this off. The Apple store staff demonstrated little awareness or concern when I showed this to them. It was like – “oh well” I guess that’s what happens. The requirements we all have for how these techologies work differs. For me, the iPad Pro offers nothing unique or significant. I much prefer pen technologies that are mounted on full blown desktop OS platforms.
I have three pens, including the Apple Pencil. I have used the Jot Touch for almost a year and I have the Pencil by 53. I’ve used them on both the iPad pro and my older Air in combination every day for months. I am very surprised by your comment on the Pencil. The integration with the Pro produces performance a clear and significant step up from the other two styluses (styli) I’ve used. A ‘clear’ step up — one that I did not expect. This appears to be supported by reviews from graphics artists, etc. I only use mine for sketching concepts and taking notes, but it really does feel like I’m writing with a pen/pencil. The only thing I have noticed is that some apps don’t quite hit the highs that Apple’s own apps hit for pen fidelity, but they all perform significantly better with the Apple Pen than my other styluses. Maybe you’re using a stylus I’ve never come across and it is a hidden gem, but if you’ve been using things similar to mine then I can’t say I believe your assessment. Especially after only 5 days of use.
Whatever sales number is being thrown around about the iPad Pro is pure speculation. Besides, Apple doesn’t give out “expected sales” goals. It’s unlikely Apple is depending upon iPad Pro sales to completely turn around overall iPad sales numbers. It might not even be feasible with the sales growth of phablet-sized smartphones. What exactly would have been a good number of iPad Pro sales to provide a positive response from the author. One million? Two million? Five million? That still wouldn’t be enough to stop the decline of iPad sales. The best Apple can hope for is to slow down the decline.
More FUD from WS. Hmmmm. Is that why my Apple Retail store is out of all models of iPad Pro? The number of crooks gaming this stock is just amazing.
Finally, if Digitimes is so “hit or miss” (and it is), why-the-F even quote their BS?
As a graphic designer I love, love, love my iPad Pro but I agree it’s not for everyone. Along with the Apple Pencil its amazing.
Got it as an early Christmas gift but have to say I favor my Air 2. The Pro is almost too big for my taste and heavier. Love the speed but the Air 2 gives me everything I need in a tablet. The Pro display is impressive though and definitely needs to be complimented with the pencil. Too bad the pencil inventories are constrained and availability scarce.
I have an iPad pro with the Smart Keyboard and pen. It is my go to iPad and laptop now. I make reasonable use of Word, Excel and PowerPoint and find it highly convincing as a device. As a long term iPad user, I’m now suffering the ‘plus’ problem; the screen size is so enticing that looking at my old Air or my wife’s mini is completely unsatisfactory. Is it a full lap top replacement? It is close. If multitasking allowed two screens of the same app, it would be very close. As for the Smart Keybaord, expensive, but quite nice to use. It doesn’t have the top row of function keys for volume etc, but on a touchscreen device, they aren’t really necessary.
I have an iPad pro with the Smart Keyboard and pen. It is my go to iPad and laptop now. I make reasonable use of Word, Excel and PowerPoint and find it highly convincing as a device. As a long term iPad user, I’m now suffering the ‘plus’ problem; the screen size is so enticing that looking at my old Air or my wife’s mini is completely unsatisfactory. Is it a full lap top replacement? It is close. If multitasking allowed two screens of the same app, it would be very close. As for the Smart Keyboard, expensive, but quite nice to use. It doesn’t have the top row of function keys for volume etc, but on a touchscreen device they aren’t really that important.
I bought the LTE Verizon, but if sales are so disappointing the why does Verizon say it will not ship to me until January?????? I thought I was just going to go home with it…. Sad
It’s a great addition for the enthusiast creator and the mobile businessman. Using mine for about a month and I’m loving it. For those who didn’t pay attention at iPad’s launch, the Pro isn’t here to replace your laptop, but it has that potential. The only frustration I have is with Pencil’s unavailability. Still didn’t found one and it’s freaking Manhattan!
No, I did not buy one. I found it to be bulky. The screen is quite nice but certainly no better than other products out there. The OS is nothing to be proud of. Hopefully, proper apps will be developed for it as that is where the magic will be.
I really do not understand the point of an iPad “pro.” When you get to this screen size and a physical keyboard what you are really talking about is an underpowered cobbled together laptop. Why not just buy a laptop, which has better performance and software? Personally, as a designer, I’m sticking with my iMac and IPad Air.
Too expensive to justify for a merely giant iPhone. Try using OSX next time.
I got mine with the pencil and the smart keyboard and am totally absolutely in love with iPad Pro and the effortless synergy of the three. I am an architect and head a diversified practice in architecture, interiors, planning and landscape design that requires tremendous collaborative workflows relying substantially on iPads integrated into the work ethos. With its larger screen and much faster performance, the value the iPad Pro has brought to my workflow management is unprecedented ….. Allowing me to schedule, mark-up, sketch, comment, render drawings and presentations on the fly back and forth with my design team. In the iPad Pro I see the pulsating nerve of the future of the design community …….. Being able to work, create and express anywhere and everywhere …… Being truly mobile armed with a constantly growing and improving toolset of apps.
Bought mine on day one and I love it. Didn’t purchase it for any work related tasks, just as a consumption device and I could never go back to my iPad Air.