The M4 iPad Pro debuted earlier this year with impressive feature upgrades—and higher prices than ever before. According to a new report, demand for the Pro models has dropped significantly, and those premium prices may be to blame.
13-inch iPad Pro sees steeper decline than 11-inch
Ross Young, supply chain analyst at DSCC, has recently published a report outlining demand struggles for Apple’s M4 iPad Pro.
The new iPad Pro models debuted in May, and initial demand seemed strong.
However, display panel shipments reveal there’s been a huge scaling back underway that reveals weaker than expected demand.
Young notes that initial expectations were for as high as 10 million panel shipments in 2024. But due to the slowdowns in Q3 and expected in Q4, actual numbers may end up a little shy of 7 million instead.
The 13-inch model seems to bear more responsibility for the reduction in units. Which probably shouldn’t be surprising, since it is both:
- more expensive than its smaller sibling, at a $1,299 starting price
- not as compelling an upgrade as the 11-inch, where the new tandem OLED is a huge leap from the prior 11-inch’s LCD display
Young offers general speculation about why demand seems to have dropped so significantly. And pricing is a big part of it.
For many users, $1,000+ is too much for an iPad
The iPad Pro made some big technological gains this year. It added the M4 chip months ahead of any Macs, gained the “world’s most advanced display” (per Apple), and became radically thinner.
While these upgrades are impressive, Young notes that for most users, the iPad is still a ‘nice to have’ product. It’s not as essential as an iPhone or Mac.
Thus, while the tech upgrades are compelling, the much higher prices for this year’s iPad Pro models have likely been a big turnoff to anyone but the most enthusiastic early adopters.
Unless you’re using the iPad as a laptop replacement, $999 for the 11-inch and $1,299 for the 13-inch is a lot to ask. Even if the iPad Pro is your primary computer, paying over $1,000 for the device itself doesn’t include the cost of a Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil Pro, and so on.
Top comment by Randy Martin
I am caught in the middle of this. I love the iPad Pro and find myself frustrated by the limitations. To me the iPad Pro should be a true hybrid like the Surface Pro series. The software needs some revisions to make this happen. Not necessarily MacOS, but at least a better file system and removing some app limitations since it has the power to handle full fledged programs. The pricing is also an issue. A iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is more expensive than a MacBook. The same is true with the Surface Pro vs Surface Laptop. The value prop isn’t there. That’s the price for convenience I suppose.
Do you think Young’s analysis is right? Is price the reason for the iPad Pro’s demand slowdown? Let us know in the comments.
Limited-time deals on the iPad Pro
If price has been a deterrent for you, Amazon does currently have some great discounts on iPad Pro products. This includes:
- $150 discounts on the 11-inch and 13-inch models
- $30 off the Magic Keyboard
- $30 off the Apple Pencil Pro
And if you’re unsure which size to buy, check out my guide here.
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