Apple Executives Optimistic About Future of iOS, Expect Tablet Market to Surpass PCs

ipad 2 hand
Business Insider reports on a new research note from Goldman Sachs analyst Bill Shope covering a recent meeting between Shope and Apple executives Tim Cook, Ron Johnson, and Peter Oppenheimer. According to Shope, the executives expressed considerable optimism regarding the future of iOS, particularly when it comes to the iPad. In fact, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook reportedly noted that the company expects tablet sales to surpass PC sales over the next several years.

Shope says, "the company appeared more overtly optimistic on the long-term prospects for the iOS platform than it has been in quite some time."

Why?

For one, Cook said, "he sees no reason why the tablet market shouldn't eclipse the PC market over the next several years," according to Shope's note.

Apple's iPad of course currently dominates that tablet market, and while its share will almost certainly shrink as more competitors come to market, most observers expect Apple to continue to lead the market for years to come.

According to a separate article relating information from the note, Shope reports that Apple is once again touting its preference for an "integrated" ecosystem for iOS over the "fragmented" one it sees for Google's Android platform. Apple's executives reportedly suggest that while the Android approach may yield market share gains over the short term, but the the fragmentation will ultimately weaken the platform and degrade the user experience.

To that end, Apple argues that the true measure of a platform's value should be measured by how well it supports the entire ecosystem surrounding it, and with the company having paid out over $2 billion to App Store developers so far, it believes that it offers the most successful and sustainable model among mobile platforms.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Caution)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...

Top Rated Comments

ECUpirate44 Avatar
172 months ago
The iPad or any tablet for that matter will never replace my laptop. Typing for an extended time on a touchscreen is just not practical.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
leroypants Avatar
172 months ago
Hence the reason for the iPad Keyboard Dock :D or you can use a Bluetooth Keyboard with it.


Yeah, why carry a lap top, when you can carry an ipad, a keyboard dock and a card reading attachment.

I love my iPad just cos its more portable than a laptop and it was awesome at a wedding I went to recently, which I shot the photos for my cousin. I was able to show him & the guests all the snaps like 5 mins after i'd took them on my iPad


I know the feeling, it is completely impossible to do that with a laptop.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
theelysium Avatar
172 months ago
The iPad or any tablet for that matter will never replace my laptop. Typing for an extended time on a touchscreen is just not practical.

I agree for me personally (or until they beef them up) tablets will not replace my computer, but my iPad2 does a great job of replacing my computer on the go. If I need to do some serious work though, it's back to my computer.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
INeedAMacBook Avatar
172 months ago
Can't wait to see what iOS 5 does for iPad, especially iPad 2
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Andy-V Avatar
172 months ago
I think tablets are great, fun, useful devices. I mean, I love my iPad, but to me, it will never replace my computer. It replaces it in some ways, like casual internet browsing, but if I'm going to do some hardcore word processing or video editing, I'm going to want my laptop there.

This is just it. Tablets should be seen as a complement to laptops and desktops NOT a replacement. Just like laptops didn't replace desktops, tablets simply wont replace laptops. There's room in our lives for all three.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deannnnn Avatar
172 months ago
I think tablets are great, fun, useful devices. I mean, I love my iPad, but to me, it will never replace my computer. It replaces it in some ways, like casual internet browsing, but if I'm going to do some hardcore word processing or video editing, I'm going to want my laptop there.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)