The Tablet’s Changing Narrative

Few products have caused more controversy than the tablet. The common viewpoint was that tablets were not computers or computer replacements. The overall sentiment around tablets was they were great for media, browsing the Internet, playing games, and overall basic use cases. This may certainly be true of certain products that fall into the tablet category, but that is largely because their screen was small or that their ecosystem lacked the software ecosystem to unlock their full potential as a computer.

When the iPad first launched, I was adamant in my viewpoint that is represented a paradigm shift in computing. I wrote this column for SlashGear, at the time, explaining why. My thesis was eliminating the mouse from the equation and adding touch as its replacement would usher in a new era of use cases and workflows that fit more naturally with consumers. In the following years, it became clear the smartphone was becoming the primary computing device of the masses. This is what made tablets, and namely the iPad such and interesting product. Consumers were starting to create and produce and engage in much more complex tasks with their smartphone than they ever did with their PCs. Logically, it made sense that a computing product that was built around the mobile ecosystem but had a larger screen and a keyboard would allow these consumers to do more than they did with both their smartphones and their PCs. But consumers still had their doubts a tablet could do all the things their PC could.

The evidence of this fact came through loud and clear when Microsoft dropped the word tablet from their Surface products. The feedback was loud and clear from retailers. Consumers were showing interest in the promise the Surface had to offer, which was the tablet which could replace their PC. But the tablet name got in the way, and many consumers opted for a real PC. Which was funny because the Surface ran Windows and could do all the things a normal Windows PC could, but the tablet stigma got in the way, so Microsoft dropped it. It was not the form factor, or the desire to use a modern tablet as a computer that stood in the way of consumers replacing their PC with a Surface it was simply the tablet branding.

Consumers bring that same mentality to the iPad. For years, the iPad could easily be a notebook or desktop replacement for many consumers, but the stigma around tablets held strong in consumers minds that it couldn’t do all the things their PC did. My favorite response to friends and family who used that excuse to fully commit to an iPad as their main notebook was “well you don’t really use your PC to do all those things anyway!” To which they always agreed, but it was those few things they “thought” they needed their PC for which was the hang-up. I understand the peace of mind they wanted by either keeping their PC around, however, many other friends and family of mine did go all iPad and never looked back.

This doesn’t change the perception, which is exactly what Apple is working to do with iPad. They started marketing the iPad Pro more aggressively as a device which could replace your PC without actually using those words. But the clearest expression of their ambition comes in their latest as for iPad called “What’s a computer?”

This ad sums up exactly how Apple has tried to position the iPad. Not as a computer but something more and the point is nailed brilliantly in the end with the star of the ad saying “what’s a computer?” This is mainly the question Apple wants consumers to think about? What is a computer? What do I do with a computer? Is there a device out there that lets me do more than the things I do with my current computer? All of those bad assumptions around tablets are challenged with this ad and many new powerful, and inspiring use cases which only a tablet can provide are highlighted. The What’s a Computer ad is practically perfect in every way. But we need to see if consumer sentiment around iPad, and the idea that this more tablet-centric computing device which includes Surface, is gaining interest with the mainstream as a true computer/PC replacement.

For this evidence, we have four surveys we have run over the last two years to use to triangulate. In both intent to buy surveys we did this time 2016 and just completed last week, we asked questions specifically around motivations to by a new PC or tablet for those who said they were in the market to buy one before December 31st. We also ran a specific PC/Tablet workflow study in the spring of 2016 and October of 2017. In both those studies, we had questions about the tablet form factor and perceptions of things like iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface. Looking at some specific data around the intention to replace an existing notebook with a tablet-like a form factor, we saw consideration and intent jump YoY. In 2016 21% of consumers in our survey indicated they were considering or already planning to replace their notebook or desktop with an iPad Pro or Microsoft Surface Pro. The latest data we gathered late in 2017 had that number jump to 40%. A significant difference in those numbers between this year and last year was in 2016 the Surface Pro had higher intent to replace a PC. Contrast that with present day in 2017 more consumers are looking to replace their PC with an iPad Pro than a Microsoft Surface Pro.

So if our data is directionally accurate, and it usually is, it seems that Apple is succeeding in convincing the market the iPad Pro can do all the things your PC can do and more. If the trend holds then 2018 could see a strong year for Apple has more consumers look to upgrade their notebooks to an iPad Pro and similarly with Surface Pro products as well.

Overall, I think this shift is positive and can lead to new use cases and more opportunities for consumers to do things they never could before with computers.

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Ben Bajarin

Ben Bajarin is a Principal Analyst and the head of primary research at Creative Strategies, Inc - An industry analysis, market intelligence and research firm located in Silicon Valley. His primary focus is consumer technology and market trend research and he is responsible for studying over 30 countries. Full Bio

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