Apple Continues to Sell the iPad 2 Because Customers Are Still Buying It

Some observers may have wondered why Apple would continue to sell the iPad 2 for $399 after announcing the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini on Tuesday. The answer, according to new research from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, is because customers are still buying the two-year old tablet.

The iPad 2 accounted for some 22 percent of iPad sales in the September quarter, down significantly from prior quarters, but it appears there is still more than enough demand for a cheaper, full-size iPad, particularly for the education sector.

CIRP iPad Sales

"Despite this quarter including back-to-school sales, the iPad 2, which accounted for a third of sales for the prior six months, seems to have started to show some age, after several strong quarters," said Josh Lowitz, Partner and Co-Founder of CIRP. "Yet, the iPad Mini continued its relative share in the past few quarters, as customers seem to continue to like it as a low-price tablet alternative."

The full-size iPad 4 remained the most popular iPad in the quarter, accounting for nearly half of total sales in the U.S., while CIRP says the iPad mini tallied about a third of sales.

Apple's new iPad lineup sees the older iPad mini starting at $299, the new Retina iPad mini and the full-size iPad 2 available for $399, and the new iPad air beginning at $499.

Top Rated Comments

Sky Blue Avatar
136 months ago
Wouldn't people buy the iPad 4 at $399 too, though?

I guess profit margins are better on the 2!
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
taptic Avatar
136 months ago
In other news: Some customers don't know the definition of refurbished.

Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bretm Avatar
136 months ago
why would they still buy it with the iPad 3 and 4 on the market ?:confused::confused:

It's cheaper.

Simply put, they now have a lineup of 2 full size pads, and 2 mini pads. Each with a retina and non retina version. Pretty simple.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
YeahBuddy Avatar
136 months ago
No body should be paying $400 for a two and a half year old tablet. Especially when at the same price you could purchase a newly released Retina iPad Mini.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gordonprice67 Avatar
136 months ago
why would they still buy it with the iPad 3 and 4 on the market ?:confused::confused:
An iPad2 or original iPad Mini are ideal for POS systems. I can see Apple still selling them with the low res screens and minor CPU bumps for $200 two years from now, bundled with the Square POS system.

As an interesting side anecdote, something like 90% of the small coffee shops, cafes and local stores I go to are using Square. Not to mention farmers markets, food carts, massage therapists with folding tables, dog walkers, baby sitters, etc.
One cafe I know was spending $1000 a month for a regular POS system that didn't provide ANY metrics for that price, JUST sales processing. They switched to Square on an iPad, ran two months of metrics and proved that sales after 5:00 PM where so low that it was costing them money to be open. Switching to an iPad POS system probably put $10,000 in their pocket in a year. The iPad has been a fundamental business enabler in subtle but powerful ways. Which have nothing to do with retina displays and fast graphics and the like.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bretm Avatar
136 months ago
That graph shows the iPad 4 selling quit well. This doesn't explain why they EOL'd it.

It's been replaced by the iPad air. Why is that confusing? They can't make it for any cheaper because it's a retina. Maybe a little, so why would you have the iPad 4 be just barely cheaper than the air, and possibly undermining air sales?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
apple wallet drivers license feature

Apple Said iPhone Driver's Licenses Would Expand to These 8 U.S. States… Two Years Ago

Thursday March 14, 2024 7:33 am PDT by
In just four U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues. Adoption of the feature has been slow since Apple first announced it in September 2021, with IDs in the Wallet app only available in Arizona,...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
OLED iPad Air

iPad Air Next on Apple's OLED Tablet Roadmap Following iPad Pro

Friday March 15, 2024 3:30 am PDT by
The iPad Air will be the next Apple tablet to adopt OLED display panel technology following its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, according to an updated forecast from research firm Omdia (via The Elec). "In 2028, we expect the iPad Air to go OLED as well, with the iPad Air using single-stack and the iPad Pro using two-stack tandem OLEDs," said Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on...
Walmart MacBook Air M1

Walmart Begins Selling MacBook Air With M1 Chip for $699 in U.S.

Friday March 15, 2024 6:57 am PDT by
Walmart today announced that it has started selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in the U.S., with pricing set at a very reasonable $699. The laptop can be ordered now on Walmart.com, and it will be available soon at select Walmart stores. This is the first time that customers can purchase a Mac that is sold directly by Walmart, the company said in a press release. Some other retailers...