For the most part, the iPad dominates the tablet market, and that probably won’t change anytime soon. But in recent years, I think a lot of people are having a hard time finding a reason to buy a new iPad, especially when the previous generation was so good. This doesn’t seem like a big issue yet, but I think it will raise some questions in the future.
iPad hardware stagnation
Other than the redesign of the OLED iPad Pro, the iPad lineup has remained very consistent. The iPad Air with a basic 11-inch LCD display and Touch ID costs $599, the iPad mini has a smaller design for $499, and the cheaper iPad costs $349.
iPad Air maintains its $599 price despite not changing much since its last redesign in 2020. On the other hand, buying an older iPad Pro is just getting cheaper. If you want the M1 or M2 11-inch iPad Pro, you can easily buy one for under $600. They come with Face ID, 120Hz, Thunderbolt, better speakers, brighter screens, and more, all for about the same price as the iPad Air.
I have no doubt that the stagnation in the iPad lineup will drive customers to competitors, but ultimately I think it will cause them to stop buying new iPads. Either you’re happy with your current iPad Pro and take the time to upgrade (like many people who own iPad Pros from 2018 to 2022), or you buy an older model if you’re buying a new iPad.
How the iPad can be improved
The MacBook Neo has some tough competition from within, even with the cheaper iPad. Why buy a $349 iPad and a $249 keyboard when you can get a MacBook Neo with twice the storage? It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison for everyone, but there’s definitely a fair amount of overlap.
Aside from the iPad Pro and iPad mini (and even then, the foldable iPhone will probably take some of the appeal away from the iPad mini), much of the iPad lineup feels lacking in appeal. As mentioned earlier, the iPad Air has only experienced chip bumps over the years. It certainly turned heads and ended up moving the selfie camera sideways, but the upgrade was incredibly easy.
The iPad Air will likely use some new features such as 120Hz, more base storage, and Face ID. The iPad will probably be fine, but the keyboard will almost certainly be cheaper.
If Apple wants to maintain consistent iPad sales, it probably needs to do a little more to make the hardware more appealing to both new and existing customers.
My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:
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