Unexpected Sales Trends for Apple’s Most Powerful iPad Models

In May, Apple introduced substantial updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air, and a recent CIRP report gives us our first look at their sales performance for the initial full quarter. The results are quite unexpected.

Sales Comparison: M4 iPad Pro vs. M2 iPad Air

The M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air were released in May, generating significant demand, particularly for the Pro versions.

While early sales offered insight into trends for both models, CIRP’s newest report covers the quarter that ended in September.

During this full three-month sales period, here’s the market share breakdown for the various iPad models:

• iPad Pro: 45%
• iPad Air: 13%
• iPad: 33%
• iPad mini: 9%

It’s worth mentioning that the new iPad mini featuring the A17 Pro had not yet released during this quarter.

Insights from the iPad Model Breakdown

Two significant takeaways from the sales data stand out:

1. the iPad Pro is evidently Apple’s leading model, despite its higher price point compared to others
2. the iPad Air hasn’t captured as much interest as anticipated, even with the introduction of a 13-inch version and price hikes in the Pro lineup

This disparity between the Pro and Air models illustrates that consumers are inclined to invest in premium products, even when a nearly equivalent option is available at a lower cost.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as a similar trend is observed annually with iPhone sales. Reports suggest that the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are outselling the standard iPhone 16—despite the two being more comparable in features than ever.

Are you surprised by the sales distribution of iPad models? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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