Apple’s new iPad Pro models are extremely thin, and we are hearing positive reviews from the tech community as far as the hardware is concerned. Initial impressions suggest the demand for the new models will be off the charts. However, this is not the case, as a market intelligence company suggests the demand could be lower than last year.
OLED iPad Pro demand could take a hit despite serious improvements
The new OLED iPad Pro has a lot going for it in terms of design and internals. However, the use cases are still the same as it is still an iPad. TrendForce reports that the demand for the OLED iPad Pro will be lower than last year. The company is believed to ship only 4.5 to 5 million units this year, a YoY decrease from last year. There are some reasons why the OLED iPad Pro will experience lower demand.
With the latest upgrade, Apple has increased the price of the ‘Pro’ models. Despite the improvements, users would still find the iPad Air more appealing as it would deliver more or less the same functionality as the ‘Pro’ models. To be fair, iPadOS drags the iPad Pro down to the level of the budget variants, as the operating system has less novelty to offer.
Other than this, the market intelligence company also states that Apple does not offer trade-ins when it comes to accessories. This means that anyone getting the new OLED iPad Pro model would have to buy dedicated accessories, which will further increase the cost as a package. Another major reason why the demand for the OLED iPad Pro could take a hit is the availability of the new 13-inch iPad Air.
Previously, if users were looking to get the biggest screen on the iPad, the iPad Pro was the only option. However, with the recent update, the M2 iPad Air seems like a pretty good option and costs significantly less than the 13-inch ‘Pro’. This means that Apple’s 13-inch iPad Air could potentially cannibalize some of the attention.
However, the tablet market is dry, and Apple will still be able to rake in most of the market share. The only major contender standing alongside the Cupertino giant is Samsung with its Galaxy S9 Ultra tablet, offering a dedicated DeX mode for productivity needs. Note that it is still too early to draw conclusions, as the OLED iPad Pro has not hit the shelves yet. We will be keeping a close eye on the demand for the new machines, so be sure to stick around.