What is Apples target market for the new iPads?

[9 Stone Elvis]

More of discussion point to keep it out of the iPad thread following todays launches.

Firstly I love the new Pro's, they look cracking and Im sure anyone buying one is getting a real premium device. However, who is buying them? I have had Pro's in the past and still do but I watched today and thought "this is so far beyond anything I could possibly need" so I marvelled at the coolness of the tech and moved on. The Air in two sizes seem to me to be everything most people would ever need. The difference here however is that Apple seem to agree and have marketed the new Pro's fairly and squarely and the creative types - content creators, video editors, musicians and artists. This I can understand on one hand BUT given the cost of the various higher end new Pro's with added keyboard you are well into MacBook Pro territory and surely that's a far more suitable device for these types of tasks?

So who is buying? Of course if you have the money and just want the new gear then fair play and more power to your wallet but other than those folks it seems most people would be better served with other purchases? The light user gets everything they need from the cheaper iPads and the people who may need the Pros are surely buying MacBooks and if they aren't are Apple not taking sales away from the MacBook market?

Maybe its just me but its probably the first time Ive looked at the tech (other than the absolute top end desktop macs) and not felt any desire to own it just because I want it and actually recognised that I have no use for it, not even it a pang of "i just want it because....."

Id be interested in the direction people feel this is going in? Is the market big enough for Apple to solely target content creators and the like?

 

[K.C. Leblanc]

Probably people who used to buy macbooks just to send email and look at lol cats.

 

[chrismscotland]

More of discussion point to keep it out of the iPad thread following todays launches.

Firstly I love the new Pro's, they look cracking and Im sure anyone buying one is getting a real premium device. However, who is buying them? I have had Pro's in the past and still do but I watched today and thought "this is so far beyond anything I could possibly need" so I marvelled at the coolness of the tech and moved on. The Air in two sizes seem to me to be everything most people would ever need. The difference here however is that Apple seem to agree and have marketed the new Pro's fairly and squarely and the creative types - content creators, video editors, musicians and artists. This I can understand on one hand BUT given the cost of the various higher end new Pro's with added keyboard you are well into MacBook Pro territory and surely that's a far more suitable device for these types of tasks?

So who is buying? Of course if you have the money and just want the new gear then fair play and more power to your wallet but other than those folks it seems most people would be better served with other purchases? The light user gets everything they need from the cheaper iPads and the people who may need the Pros are surely buying MacBooks and if they aren't are Apple not taking sales away from the MacBook market?

Maybe its just me but its probably the first time Ive looked at the tech (other than the absolute top end desktop macs) and not felt any desire to own it just because I want it and actually recognised that I have no use for it, not even it a pang of "i just want it because....."

Id be interested in the direction people feel this is going in? Is the market big enough for Apple to solely target content creators and the like?

It almost feels to me like Apple is segmenting the iPad market just like they do with the Mac's - Lower tier with the Macbook Air and Mac Mini, Mid Tier Mac Studio and some Macbook Pro's and the high end with Mac Pro and the top end Macbook Pro devices.
We now have similar with the iPads; the basic iPad at the bottom, iPad Air for most people's use and then iPad Pro with the power and capabilities for those who really want to use it; particularly creative types.

 

[9 Stone Elvis]

It almost feels to me like Apple is segmenting the iPad market just like they do with the Mac's - Lower tier with the Macbook Air and Mac Mini, Mid Tier Mac Studio and some Macbook Pro's and the high end with Mac Pro and the top end Macbook Pro devices.
We now have similar with the iPads; the basic iPad at the bottom, iPad Air for most people's use and then iPad Pro with the power and capabilities for those who really want to use it; particularly creative types.

Thats what I thought too but then I thought if I was in the video editing and music areas would I really spend my £2k+ on a high end iPad for these tasks as opposed to the MacBook Pro? I get it for the artists using the pencil but not for the others, not that i know the first think bout photo and video editing or music making! People with all the cash will get both of course but is there a justifiable use case for that? Im guessing there must be and there must be a market or Apple wouldn't be doing it!

I do fancy the 13 inch iPad air though......

 

[9 Stone Elvis]

Probably people who used to buy macbooks just to send email and look at lol cats.

Thats me to a certain extent. I have an iPad Pro and a 2023 MacBook Air but Im typing this on a 2015 MacBook Air that really still does what I need it to do!!!

 

[K.C. Leblanc]

Thats me to a certain extent. I have an iPad Pro and a 2023 MacBook Air but Im typing this on a 2015 MacBook Air that really still does what I need it to do!!!

To be fair, they're a lot more stylish the a Lenovo T430.

 

[Somnambulist]

I use my 12.9” Pro (2nd gen) with the keyboard folio case more than anything else for general internet use. I have a MBP but that’s purely for some niche things I do once in a blue moon, otherwise this thing is much more portable and gets infinitely more use.

Like most Apple things ultimately you go for the Pro as the display is always the best available at the time and now I can sit in the dark and it’ll look as good as the phone does now it’s caught up w/the OLED display.

 

[squerble]

As an aside, you don't need an apostrophe to pluralise a word. Pros, not Pro's.

This is becoming the next "could \of\".

 

[t2na]

I really like my iPad Pro - but I have the first gen 2019 11" model so it's not recent by any means. It's still got a great 120hz screen which makes using it feel lovely and smooth - but battery life is now a serious issue so that's pushing me towards upgrading.

We have 2 apps that we have in place for our teams at work and part of my role is being responsible for the upkeep, maintenance, improvements etc. - so at the time having the Pro made a lot of sense. I can probably justify an upgrade based on that alone...

Outside of work, if I'm not using my home PC for playing games I reckon my iPad is what I use for 90% of general internet use but it does sort of feel like it sits in this weird middle ground where it's too good for general internet use but not intuitive enough within the OS to fully replace my work laptop.

 

[dave28]

people who want the latest and greatest ipad regardless of if they need it or not

Many people just want the best of everything, i know so many people like that.
Every year they buy the latest £1500 iphone when they could easily make do with a used old iphone for £100 and be totally fine.

 

[9 Stone Elvis]

As an aside, you don't need an apostrophe to pluralise a word. Pros, not Pro's.

This is becoming the next "could \of\".

Cheer's

 

[pcfarrar]

I'm upgrading to the M4 Pro from my 2021 M1 Pro primarily for the OLED screen. My main use is general web browsing and media consumption. Watching videos at night on OLED is so much better that it's worth it for me.

 

[9 Stone Elvis]

I'm upgrading to the M4 Pro from my 2021 M1 Pro primarily for the OLED screen. My main use is general web browsing and media consumption. Watching videos at night on OLED is so much better that it's worth it for me.

I TOTALLY get this up to a point but what I'm finding strange is that Apple haven't attempted to market this to you at all and I dont think they expect people to spend north of £1k (depending on size) just to watch videos in the dark. i understand that people will do this along the way but whats confusing me is that they seem to be marketing a device to users for whom they already produce devices better suited to doing what their use case is.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

for me the pro iPad has always been about the screen, not the power.

The marketing is just about product segmentation and to try and differentiate some very technical upgrades from what otherwise is itself a very compelling product (iPad air).

Those roles you cite are considered aspirational by huge numbers of people, not just kids wanting to grow up to be YouTubers. People generally like creating stuff, drawing and art generally, particularly as they get older and have a bit more cash.

The marketing just buys into that, it’s nothing more than that really. It’s about creating a narrative that this is the best one that professionals use so it must be good - please buy me and not the Air.

Edit: I don’t own an iPad although I was tempted at times. I want a mobile device with a ‘proper’ OS so MacBook Air it is for me and I don’t have any need for one of each.

 

[dave28]

I TOTALLY get this up to a point but what I'm finding strange is that Apple haven't attempted to market this to you at all and I dont think they expect people to spend north of £1k (depending on size) just to watch videos in the dark. i understand that people will do this along the way but whats confusing me is that they seem to be marketing a device to users for whom they already produce devices better suited to doing what their use case is.

but he wants it in tablet form, the tablet form itself is the preferred form of people who buy tablets

something to hold in the hands like a giant phone rather than a hinged device that sits on a desk / lap

 

[9 Stone Elvis]

for me the pro iPad has always been about the screen, not the power.

The marketing is just about product segmentation and to try and differentiate some very technical upgrades from what otherwise is itself a very compelling product (iPad air).

Those roles you cite are considered aspirational by huge numbers of people, not just kids wanting to grow up to be YouTubers. People generally like creating stuff, drawing and art generally, particularly as they get older and have a bit more cash.

The marketing just buys into that, it’s nothing more than that really. It’s about creating a narrative that this is the best one that professionals use so it must be good - please buy me and not the Air.

Yeah to be fair maybe I'm just getting older so seeing past it a bit. Perhaps 10 years ago I would have been all over it and its me thats changed rather than Apples marketing strategy! I feel the ipad is quite far removed from the device it was initially brought in to be and I was feeling that Apple were now effectively confusing their customers. I get the Air as being the new default but with the various capacities, M2, and different sizes it seems to be the mass market device with the Pro being more niche. As you say though there are probably enough people who aspire to these roles to give it a market - I would still expect them to buy Macbooks though.

 

[9 Stone Elvis]

but he wants it in tablet form, the tablet form itself is the preferred form of people who buy tablets

He does, but they aren't marketing it to him, thats my point. they are marketing it to content creators, video editors and music producers and from any video you care to watch from those who have those use cases they seem find the Macbook a far more comfortable and versatile platform for those tasks than a tablet.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Yeah to be fair maybe I'm just getting older so seeing past it a bit. Perhaps 10 years ago I would have been all over it and its me thats changed rather than Apples marketing strategy! I feel the ipad is quite far removed from the device it was initially brought in to be and I was feeling that Apple were now effectively confusing their customers. I get the Air as being the new default but with the various capacities, M2, and different sizes it seems to be the mass market device with the Pro being more niche. As you say though there are probably enough people who aspire to these roles to give it a market - I would still expect them to buy Macbooks though.

You can’t draw on MacBooks without a 3rd party tablet which is harder to use than just drawing on the iPad screen. That’s partly why people who draw or illustrate buy them over or in addition to to MacBooks.

 

[9 Stone Elvis]

You can’t draw on MacBooks without a 3rd party tablet which is harder to use than just drawing on the iPad screen. That’s partly why people who draw or illustrate buy them over or in addition to to MacBooks.

Yes thats why I specifically didnt reference artists/illustrators. They would appreciate that form factor ahead of the traditional laptop.

 

[Trebblebob]

Yes thats why I specifically didnt reference artists/illustrators. They would have course appreciate that form factor ahead of the traditional laptop.

I think the only people who benefit from the iPad are creative individuals. You could argue that they are handy for taking quick notes, but I'd much rather buy a reMarkable before buying an iPad. They can also be convenient for someone who needs to manage something when walking around, like how Apple staff manage appointments in-store, but that's not a personal use-case.