The rise and fall of the iPad: Sales of Apple tablets slump as people shift to phablets

Since then, the tech giant has released six 9.7-inch iPads, three 7.9-inch iPad minis, and shifted a total of 258.6 million tablets globally.But, following years of soaring, record-breaking sales, last week’s earnings call suggests the tablets are falling out of favour.According to official figures from Apple, during the first fiscal quarter of 2015 that ended […]

Since then, the tech giant has released six 9.7-inch iPads, three 7.9-inch iPad minis, and shifted a total of 258.6 million tablets globally.
But, following years of soaring, record-breaking sales, last week’s earnings call suggests the tablets are falling out of favour.
According to official figures from Apple, during the first fiscal quarter of 2015 that ended on 27 December 2014, the firm sold 21.4 million iPads and iPad minis. This equated to $8.9 billion in revenue.
Although this is still a large amount of money from a single product in the line – and represents 12 per cent of the company’s overall revenue – it signals the first year-on-year drop.
During the first quarter of 2014, Apple sold a record-breaking 26 million iPads, up from 22.8 million in Q1 of 2013 and 15.4 million in 2012.
According to official figures from Apple, during the first fiscal quarter of 2015 the firm sold 21.4 million iPads and iPad minis. By comparison, during the first quarter of 2014, Apple sold a record-breaking 26 million iPads, up from 22.8 million in Q1 of 2013 and 15.4 million in 2012 (Q1 sales figures from 2011-2015 shown)
Although tablets were around before Apple’s 9.7-inch device was released back in 2010, the tech giant is credited with revolutionising the market.
At the launch event, former boss Steve Jobs described the iPad as the “most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price.”
Apple said it sold 74.5 million iPhones in total in Q1 2015.  
It also confirmed the eagerly anticipated Apple watch will go on sale in April.  
The surge in iPhone sales drove the company’s total revenue to $74.6 billion, up 30 per cent from a year earlier.
This means its annual sales would beat the GDP of Israel ($264billion) and rank it around 50th in the world’s richest countries.
In turn, the net profit of $18bn (£11.8 billion) is the highest ever recorded by a public company.
It beat the previous record of $15.9bn (£10.4 billion) set by ExxonMobil in 2012.
The firm sold a total of 21.4 million iPads and iPad minis, during this period, which equated to a revenue of $8.9 billion.
Overall, sales of iPads dropped by 18 per cent, which knocked Apple’s revenue in that sector by 22 per cent.