iPad Lifecycle Mirrors Macs and Maybe Even TVs Rather Than iPhones

A new report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) suggests iPad owners replace their tablets less frequently than their iPhone-owning counterparts, who upgrade almost every two years. The longer iPad replacement cycle may be more like the Mac, which tends to be replaced every 2-4 years, or possibly even televisions which have a five to 10-year ownership span. (Via Fortune)

cirp-2104-ipad-replacement
The CIRP report, which surveyed 2,000 U.S. customers who purchased an iPhone, iPad or Mac in 2013, shows that almost half of iPad owners will go without their tablet, waiting a week or more to replace a broken, lost or stolen device. They also are twice as likely as iPhone owners to give their older iPad to friends or family members.

"We think Apple would prefer the iPad become a big iPhone," the report concludes. "We suspect, though, based on recent CIRP data about how buyers use them, that it's as much like a Mac, TV, or iPod, with less frequent replacement."

This replacement rate could affect future sales, driving them down as the tablet market becomes saturated. In this scenario, consumers would hold onto an iPad for a longer period of time, and future first-time iPad owners would be more likely to receive an older iPad than buy a new one.

Even as competition increases and the tablet market slows, Apple still is the top tablet vendor worldwide with 36 percent market share, according to Gartner's March 2014 report. The Cupertino company sold a record 26 million iPads in Q1 2014 and 195 million tablets overall.

Related Roundup: iPad
Tag: CIRP
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Caution)
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Top Rated Comments

jayducharme Avatar
142 months ago
of course it does an iPad starts at 399 and iPhone starts at 99 or even less sometimes.

Exactly. "In other news, people replace more expensive computing devices less often."
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RawBert Avatar
142 months ago
Apple made my iPad 3 so well, I won't need to replace it for quite a while.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ewkid Avatar
142 months ago
My 2008 iMac and iPad 1 are doing just fine.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DavidLeblond Avatar
142 months ago
I replace my phone every 2 years. I have an iPad 2 that I have no desire to replace. It does it's job just fine.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TsunamiTheClown Avatar
142 months ago
This replacement rate could affect future sales, driving them down as the tablet market becomes saturated. In this scenario, consumers would hold onto an iPad for a longer period of time, and future first-time iPad owners would be more likely to receive an older iPad than buy a new one.

Is it ok that I don't want to buy a new tablet every release cycle?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Q-Dog Avatar
142 months ago
I typically use my devices until they no longer work or do the job i need them to do.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)