WORLD'S MOST POPULAR TABLET
10 MacDirectory
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APPLE NEWS
While Apple's flagship tablet
did not receive as much
attention during this week's
earnings report frenzy, the
data shows that people are
buying iPads again.
Apple reported that it sold
9.1 million iPads throughout
its second fiscal quarter of
2018. And data compiled
by research firm IDC shows
that, in the same period, the
Cupertino tech giant managed
to carve out its highest share
of the global tablet market in
four years.
IDC estimates that iPad
shipments accounted for
about 28.8 of total tablets
sold through the three-month
period. That's a jump from
24.9 percent in the same
period last year. It's also the
highest share recorded since
Apple staked out 32.7 percent
of the market in 2014.
It's worth noting that Apple
operates on its own fiscal
year. Apple's first quarter
of 2018 actually kicked off
last year. In other words, the
company's second quarter is
basically the finance world's
Q1 2018.
Apple's iPad retained its
position as the world's most
popular tablet through the
March quarter. Samsung
came in second with a market
share of about 16.7 percent
— derived from an estimated
5.3 million tablet shipments
during the period. Samsung's
shipments are a drop from
this time last year, though its
market share remained the
same.
The research firm estimated
that global tablet shipments
are actually on the decline,
however. Total sales from all
OEMs combined dropped
11.7 percent year-over-year
through Q1 2018. The fact
that the iPad lineup managed
to increase revenue and
market share during that
period bodes well for Apple.
Apple's newly launched
2018 9.7-inch iPad should
have more of an effect on
the company's tablet results
throughout Q2 2018 (which
correlates to Apple's third
quarter).
As far as the future of the
tablet lineup, the Cupertino
tech titan is largely expected
to debut new iPad Pro
devices. At least one (but
maybe both) of those
refreshed tablets could sport
"iPhone X features" like
slimmer bezels and Face ID.
That device is also rumored to
do away with the iconic Home
button.
Presumably, those iPad
Pro devices will retain the
10.5-inch and 12.9-inch form
factors of their predecessors.
Though it's not clear which
will receive a "modern iPad"
upgrade, or if both will.
BY MIKE PETERSON
APPLE'S IPAD
REMAINED WORLD'S
MOST POPULAR TABLET
THROUGH Q2 2018
