iPad Mini Sales Take A Hit Thanks To iPhone 6 Plus Popularity

iPad Mini sales have taken a dive thanks to the success of the iPhone 6 Plus. According to a recent report, the growing popularity of the iPhone 6 has been discovered as the reason why the sales of Apple’s iPad Mini have been struggling for the past few months.

The mini tablet could be experiencing sluggish sales thanks to consumers’ desire for having a large phone, or a “phablet,” according to ITPRO News. A report on Forbes said that Apple’s overall global market share fell from 29 per cent to 23 per cent in its year-over-year forecast.

The iPad Mini has been decreasing in sales for some time now. Its growth in 2014 was estimated at 12.1 per cent compared to its 51.8 per cent in 2013.

The iPhone 6 Plus phone could potentially trample the sales of the 7.9-inch iPad Mini. Both of these gadgets have a comparably large screen size, but the phone is a lot more desirable with its affordable price tag.

Forbes’ Trefis Team, a team made up of Wall Street analysts and MIT engineers, recently explained the decrease of the sales of the once popular iPad Mini.

“While the mini is still likely to prove popular with customers who seek an affordable, easy-to-use tablet with a comfortable viewing experience (130 per cent more area than the iPhone 6 Plus), the one-device-fits-all proposition of the iPhone 6 Plus is likely to hurt sales.”

“We believe that an iPhone 6 Plus customer will be less inclined to purchase an iPad mini, given that the iPhone 6 Plus provides a good balance in terms of functionality, screen size and portability.”

A likely reason is that the 16GB iPhone Plus costs $299 with a two-year contract, according to The Latin Post. The iPad Mini 2 also costs $299 while the iPad Mini 3 costs $399. So consumers are opting for the cheaper and smaller iPhone instead. These prices don’t require a contract. If they did, the iPhone 6 Plus would cost $749, which is a lot more money than either of the iPad Mini models.

This dip in sales won’t affect Apple’s bottom line, which is to have a higher profit margin. The company only sees the battle of the iPhone 6 Plus and iPad Mini as a positive effect on the company’s future.

“The 6 Plus could drive some customers to purchase Apple’s larger screen iPads such as the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 instead of the Mini, which could positively impact iPad ASPs and margins.”

A few weeks ago, consumers were wondering if the iPad Mini was still worth buying. According to a report on the Inquisitr, it’s the cheapest iPad available on the Apple website. However, there is no reason to buy a Mini unless you’re devoted to Apple’s products and operating system.

[Image by TechStage on Flickr via Wikimedia Commons]