Two things stood out when Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) announced its first quarter results recently. One was the solid growth in iPhone, Mac, Services and Apple Watch sales. The other was the sharp decline in iPad sales.
In specific numbers, iPad generated (PDF) $7,084 million in revenue in the first quarter of 2017, down 22 percent compared to last year.
Interestingly, rival Samsung has seen a similar trend. Last year, the company saw a 12.3 percent drop in Samsung Tab sales.
With demand continuing to decline, the future of tablets seems to be in jeopardy. From a business perspective, the bigger question is whether you should invest in a tablet or not?
Do You Really Need a Tablet?
A new report from Deloitte suggests tablet sales will drop to 165 million units, down 10 percent this year.
“With smartphones becoming larger and more powerful, and our research showing that millennials typically prefer laptops to tablets, it seems that the tablet may be getting harder to swallow for consumers,” said Paul Lee, head of TMT research at Deloitte.
For a business owner, it pays to weigh technology options before investing. In other words, ask yourself whether you really need a tablet or would a smartphone serve your purpose just as well.
Optimize Your Web Presence
Declining popularity of tablets among consumers also means businesses need to optimize their web presence to reach customers using other devices.
Take the sales of iPhone and Mac, for instance. Data shows iPhone and Mac registered a 5 percent and 7 percent revenue increase respectively in the first quarter.
So it’s probably a good idea to focus on optimizing your web presence for either desk top or smartphone rather than worrying too much about elements that will appeal to tablet users.
A mobile strategy for your small business can prove extremely beneficial in the long run.
iPad Photo via Shutterstock
This article, "iPad Sales Decline Amid Tablet Slump" was first published on Small Business Trends
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