14 DAY TRIAL // New data provided by analyst firm IDC says Apple has grown significantly in the detachable target market after the introduction of the new iPad Pro models, managing to overtake Microsoft, which is often regarded as the inventor of this particular business.
Back in 2012, Microsoft unveiled the Surface RT, a hybrid device that aimed to offer the best of two different worlds, tablets and laptops, with the help of a detachable keyboard and a Windows version fully optimized for the touch.
Although the Surface RT proved to be more or less a flop, Microsoft’s continued investments in this industry finally made the Surface lineup successful, so the device has already reached the fourth generation. Furthermore, Microsoft also launched a laptop called Surface Book based on the same approach, allowing the removal of the keyboard to double as a tablet.
The same approach was adopted by Apple for its iPad Pro lineup, and according to IDC, the device is so successful that the Cupertino company has even reached the first place in terms of sales.
In a research note called “Apple beats Microsoft at their own game,” IDC says that while the overall tablet market declined by 14.7 percent in the first quarter of 2016, detachable tablets experienced triple digit growth on shipments of more than 4.9 million units.
The iPad Pro was the catalyst of this growth, IDC points out, but the analysts warn that this could be a short-term spike which might actually fade out in a few months, as more customers discover the benefits of the Surface tablet.
The enterprise focus is iOS’ Achilles’ heel
What could impact adoption of the iPad Pro is the limited enterprise capabilities of iOS, analysts explain, whereas Surface runs the full version of Windows 10, an operating system that’s already dominating the productivity business.
"Microsoft arguably created the market for detachable tablets with the launch of their Surface line of products," said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers.
"With the PC industry in decline, the detachable market stands to benefit as consumers and enterprises seek to replace their aging PCs with detachables. Apple's recent foray into this segment has garnered them an impressive lead in the short term, although continued long-term success may prove challenging as a higher entry price point staves off consumers and iOS has yet to prove its enterprise-readiness, leaving plenty of room for Microsoft and their hardware partners to reestablish themselves."
As far as Android tablets are concerned, sales are declining here too, but Samsung’s Galaxy Tab lineup continues to do well, with the South Korean manufacturer also shifting towards detachable devices.