Why There Are No Winners In The Tablet Wars?

Apple’s larger than life iPad Pro made its debut midway through the last quarter. Despite only being on sale for six weeks, Apple sold two million units of this 12.9-inch tablet which is 400,000 units more than Microsoft’s entire Surface tablet range according to a report by market research firm IDC. 

Upon its release, many criticized the need for a larger sized iPad, while others felt the new device would need to feature the OS X operating system and a mouse before users would take it seriously. However, these latest figures suggest that users might be ready to embrace the concept of hybrid tablets with their detachable keyboards that offer the best of both worlds. 

It’s unfair to compare sales of the Surface Pro with the release of a new product from Apple that was launched just in time for the December holidays. The report for the next quarter should offer a better comparison. Of course arguments over having iOS on the powerful iPad Pro rather than a desktop operating system will continue to divide consumers.

Regardless of how successful the figures initially appear, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for the tablets because the report also revealed that although total shipments for 2015 came in at a respectable 206.8 million, this is down -10.1% from 230.1 million in the prior year. With sales in continual decline for eight consecutive quarters, there are a few red flags hovering over the future of tablet technology.

Although users are accustomed to swapping their smartphone every twelve to eighteen months, the lifecycle of tablets is considerably longer which is possibly the biggest reason for the slowdown in sales. But could these hybrid devices still offer an alternative to our laptops and become the game changer that they were once tipped to be?

There are countless articles debating which device is better, that seem to ignite a war of words on both sides of the fan fence. These arguments however are often subjective as every user has unique requirements including but not limited to whether they need it for business or more casual use. The truth is there simply is no one size that fits all or one best device, but of course saying that will not generate traffic to publishers’ websites or sell magazines.

The shared success illustrates that there is enough room in the market for hybrid devices with their detachable keyboards from all three of the major platform players. As users have no rush to upgrade their perfectly working tablets, the pressure will continue to pile on companies to deliver the wow factor and the all-important new features that will provide an incentive to upgrade.

Apple users are already following the latest round of rumors and leaks surrounding the iPad Air 3 that is expected to be unveiled in March. If this new offering arrives with a Smart Connector as predicted, then accessories such as detachable keyboards will most certainly be here to stay and also open up a lucrative market for selling add-ons to consumers who are not upgrading their tablets.

Ironically, many will point out that by the time you have purchased your shiny new iPad Pro, and the accompanying keyboard and stylus, you have essentially just turned your tablet into a laptop by spending over $1,200 but equally lost much of your functionality that comes with a desktop operating system and purpose built computer. 

There really is no best or worst of anything, and it will all depend on what we need the laptop, tablet or hybrid device for. Some users will simply want to browse the Internet; others might need to create emails or documents while heavy users will require the out of favor desktop operating system.

Rather than getting carried away with the over zealous headlines, maybe its time that we accept that these latest gadgets all serve different purposes, and their suitability will be heavily dependent on our lifestyle. There really isn't a one size fits all for everyone and maybe we should all stop this obsession with which brand is best.

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