iPad 2 sales have dropped significantly following the introduction of new iPad and iPad mini models back in October, according to the latest research from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. Both the mini and full-size iPad Air making significant percentage gains in Apple's iPad mix.
For the September quarter, the last quarter before the new iPads were released, CIRP said the iPad 2 accounted for some 22 percent of iPad sales. For the December quarter, the iPad 2 fell to only 5 percent of total iPad sales.
In the quarter, the iPad mini with Retina display remained supply constrained until at least mid-December -- the full size iPad accounted for 54 percent of sales, while the iPad mini accounted for 41 percent.
"Apple managed to shift significant sales to its higher-priced models," said Mike Levin, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder. "For the past year, the legacy iPad 2 grabbed from one-quarter to one-third of iPad sales. Along with the trend toward sale of models with larger storage capacities, Apple should see higher iPad average selling prices, with iPad 2 at only 5% of total sales and iPad mini sales split between the original model and the new iPad mini with Retina display."
The new iPad Air -- which was in strong supply for the quarter -- accounted for 41 percent of total iPad sales, significantly outselling the fourth-generation full-size iPad. Sales of the non-retina iPad mini outstripped its retina-equipped brethren, likely because of supply issues. On the U.S. Apple Online Store, the iPad mini with Retina display only began shipping within 24 hours at the end of December.
The shift of sales from the cheaper iPad 2 to the more expensive iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina is a good sign for Apple. The company has seen its iPad Average Selling Price consistently drop over the past three years.
Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone.
In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs.
On his blog Daring Fireball,...
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports.
iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch.
According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by Tim Hardwick
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020.
If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
The iPad 2 was the last iPad on the market sold with a 30-pin connector which many businesses and institutions have a huge investment in. That is almost certainly why it has been kept afloat this long. These numbers are just a reflection of the fact that even those customers are realizing it's time to move on.
Buying a refurbished model does not work for me, I want the iPad to be new.
And that is the part where I can't understand why people would not get the iPad air. I can understand that the price can be tempting, I saw some iPads in my area going of $369 before tax and Target was giving a $60 gift card. But the A5 chip is how many generations behind?
I know a friend who bought a iPad 2 and an iPad mini all within the last 12 months, his wife also got an iPhone 4S....
Refurb gets you:
- a new outer shell - a new battery - a thoroughly checked iPad - Standard one year warranty - Option of getting Apple Care - a less expensive iPad
So exactly why do you not want a refurbished iPad?
