Has the iPad flatlined?

[Atman]

http://www.businessinsider.com/tim-cook-ipad-sales-2014-4

Tim Cook Had A Really Interesting Answer For Why iPad Sales Appear To Be Stalling

Apple's iPad sales for last quarter fell far below expectations. It sold 16.35 million of them, but analysts were expecting about 19 million.
On the surface, 16 million sounds like a lot of iPads, but growth in Apple's iPad business has flatlined. In fact, growth was negative for last quarter.

<snip>

For last quarter in particular, he said the company reduced its iPad channel inventory compared to the same quarter last year, so sales were actually in line with the high end of Apple's internal expectations.

Speaking on the iPad business as a whole, Cook made some really interesting points to remain bullish. First, he said the iPad is Apple's fastest-growing product in the company's history. Apple has sold 210 million of them so far, which is almost twice as many iPhones Apple sold in the same period of time.

Cook also made a strong case for the iPad in the enterprise market. He cited one study that said 91% of tablets activated in the enterprise are iPads. Meanwhile, nearly all Fortune 500 companies use iPads. He also said it was a smart move of Microsoft to finally release Office on the iPad, which should help with enterprise adoption since many businesses rely so heavily on the software. In fact, Cook said Microsoft should've released Office for iPad earlier than it did.

<snip>

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. heard a great analysis about this.

One up and coming package, the Air, is so light and so effective, that the iPad Air and the Macbook Air may actually compete for the same buyers.

Having played with an Air, it is amazingly light. On the other hand, the iPad keeps getting better and better.

Another point, while iPhone sales have rocketed, and iPad still was pretty amazing sales-wise, PC sales have dropped like the hindenburg. Apple sales are more than holding its own.

[R.Quinn]

2. One problem I've had with iPads

is that there is no removable media option (e.g. SD cards). Same with iPhones. Really ticks me off. And this is coming from an Apple guy whose '08 MacBook still runs like a champ. Apple is too controlling with their hardware.