14 DAY TRIAL // There was a time when Microsoft was the only company investing in 2-in-1s and Apple itself was making fun of its Redmond rival’s products, but the iPad Pro proved that Cupertino itself spotted the potential that these devices bring.
And it looks like Apple’s decision to build its own detachables is paying off, as sales of the iPad Pro are growing at such a fast pace that they are even exceeding those of the Microsoft Surface in certain markets.
IDC analysts reveal that in 2016, Apple sold more units than Microsoft in New Zealand, and this is the first time since 2013 when the software giant is not getting the first place.
Apple was the leading company in this business last year with a market share of 32 percent, followed by Microsoft pretty close with 31 percent. HP, Acer, and Samsung are also among the top companies.
No affordable Surface model
IDC says that sales of 2-in-1 devices in New Zealand reached 80,000 units last year, up from 55,000 units in 2015, and partially responsible for the growth is Apple and its boost of no less than 650 percent year over year. Microsoft, on the other hand, increased only 3 percent year over year.
“Microsoft is facing increasing competition from the wide range of detachable models, running Windows operating system, on the market,” Chayse Gorton, Mobile Device Market Analyst for IDC New Zealand, explained. “Competing windows detachables often have similar specifications to Microsoft detachables, but are frequently sold at a lower price. Given New Zealand is a price conscious nation, a lower price, even by small a margin can be enough to entice a consumer to purchase from a competing vendor.”
IDC says that partially responsible for Microsoft’s slowdown is the change of device generations, as the company introduced the Surface Book in early 2016, while at the same time stopping sales of the more affordable Surface 3.
The company expects shipments to grow up to 30 percent this year, and Apple itself will also benefit, while the lack of more affordable Surface models could lead to a bigger difference between the two companies.