Last Quarter Apple Ipad Pro Beat Microsoft Surface: Price Doesn’t Mean Everything
The Apple iPad Pro has received a lot of negativity recently from experts in the tech field. They like to say that Apple’s tablet still isn’t on par with the Microsoft Surface, which is viewed as a more dynamic, helpful device by many. However, the actions of consumers recently show a different side to it all.
Apparently, in quarter four, the Apple iPad Pro outsold the Microsoft Surface. Price turned out to be just a minor inconvenience for buyers who wanted Apple’s version of the tablet.
Apple Insider reports that a research company called IDC actually thinks of tablets like the Apple iPad Pro and the Microsoft Surface as different from the traditional consumer-ready tablets. It’s easy to see that they’re much more prime for a business setting and professional use. Hence, the name that Apple gave their newest version.
“We believe Apple sold just over two million iPad Pros while Microsoft sold around 1.6 million Surface devices, a majority of which were Surface Pro and not the more affordable Surface 3,” IDC research director Jean Philippe Bouchard said. “With these results, it’s clear that price is not the most important feature considered when acquiring a detachable – performance is.”
For the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface, the price isn’t everything to consumers. If it was, they would purchase the more affordable Surface 3 instead of the Pro.
“This quarter was unique as we had new detachables in the market from all three of the major platform players,” IDC analyst Jitesh Ubrani said. “Despite lukewarm reviews, the iPad Pro was the clear winner this season as it was the top selling detachable, surpassing notable entries from Microsoft and other PC vendors.”
#ExpressReview Apple iPad Pro is a productive and portable PC-replacement, says @nandu79 https://t.co/VqoKQjtkFY pic.twitter.com/u9yvC0GKZy
— Express Technology (@ExpressTechie) January 31, 2016
Microsoft and Apple are obviously two of the major players, but the other one is none other than Google, which recently made a foray into the tablet space with their Nexus.
“It’s also important to note that the transition towards detachable tablets has presented positive opportunities for both Apple and Microsoft,” Ubrani continued. “However, Google’s recent foray into this space has been rather lackluster as the Android platform will require a lot more refinement to achieve any measurable success.”
The Microsoft Surface still isn’t doing badly. The Verge reports that Microsoft increased Surface sales by nearly 29 percent year over year. But the iPad Pro did crush the Surface 3, which leads some experts to believe that consumers are finally ready to replace their laptops with tablets.
“One of the biggest reasons why detachables are growing so fast is because end users are seeing those devices as PC replacements,” Jean Philippe Bouchard said.
iPad Pro dominated Microsoft Surface lineup during holidays https://t.co/PeB8upGqaE pic.twitter.com/vlsOrfOZcQ
— Cult of Mac (@cultofmac) February 1, 2016
That’s for now, but what’s coming next is the newest version of the Apple iPad, the iPad Air 3. Many consumers are expecting the newest Apple tablet to be revealed in March, and it will carry on the tradition of the iPad Pro by carrying much of the same features at a smaller size.
In March, Apple is expected to make a big announcement regarding the iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch, so all we can do is stay tuned for more information leading up to the event.
For now Apple iPad Pro is beating Microsoft’s Surface Pro in sales, and as the tablet market declines, it will be interesting to see how things unfold over the weeks and months.
[Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images]