(Yes, an unfortunate title after two R.I.P. posts, but I couldn’t think of something better …)
Via Twitter:
Click = big
The only big chance China tablets had in America were eight-inch Windows 8.1 tablets. And those didn’t set any sales records or we’d be seeing them in public all over the place.
Meanwhile, over in China, tablet makers with names readers are familiar with — Teclast, Onda, Chuwi, et al — keep running “sales” for their tablets. There’s been an odor of desperation from these tablet brands. I’m not sure that even Core-M Windows tablets — aimed at business and professionals — are doing well.
It doesn’t help any of these domestic brands that they have poor reputations from past shoddy products. Once someone gets screwed by a company, they’re not inclined to give that company a second chance. Personally, I’ll never buy something from either Dell or Toshiba due to issues I’ve had.
Anyway, it could very well be that the upgrade cycle for the iPad is longer than expected. Also, I’ve read many articles about how “phablets” are replacing tablets. Does Apple care if an iPhone 6 Plus replaces an iPad sale? Hell no. They get money either way — and more money from the iPhone sale.
While the iPad sold “only” about eleven million, there are plenty of companies out there that’d be strutting if they sold that many of something.
Mike Cane’s xBlog 