The iPad is 16 years old, but two new products Apple is rumored to launch this year could have a major impact on reshaping the tablet’s future.
When Steve Jobs first unveiled the iPad, he pitched the need for a third device alongside the iPhone and Mac. Sixteen years of a successful iPad run prove him right.
But two new Apple products launching later this year could change the equation.
iPhone Ultra and MacBook Ultra each pose a threat to the iPad.
iPhone Ultra is Apple’s first foldable iPhone. When folded, it will have a pocket-sized, iPhone-like design. But when unfolded, it’s expected to look and work more like an iPad mini.
MacBook Ultra is the rumored name for Apple’s forthcoming MacBook Pro overhaul that will add a touchscreen to the Mac.
Neither product will have a big impact on iPad sales from the outset. But over time, they could prove the first in a series of dominoes that do.
I love my iPad. In fact, I use the iPad Pro as my main computer and have for over a decade. But I believe the product could face a true identity crisis in the years ahead.
If foldable iPhones take off, Apple will no doubt launch more of them in the future, and in bigger sizes.
The price of foldables will come down over time too. And eventually, for a growing base of users, their foldable iPhone will eliminate the need for a separate iPad.
Similarly, if Apple is committed to bringing touchscreens to the whole Mac lineup over time, the iPad will lose a big current advantage.
This year, the iPhone Ultra will be a niche, early adopter product, and so will touch on the Mac.
But five years from now? Unless the iPad evolves and adapts in surprising new ways, I’m not sure how bright the product’s future is.
Foldable iPhones will eventually provide much of the utility offered by iPad today. That, combined with the advent of touchscreen Macs, could set the iPad on a very different trajectory moving forward.
Will Apple evolve the iPad in compelling ways to keep it relevant? Or will the product become far more niche than it is now? I don’t know, but as a heavy iPad user, I’m very eager to find out.
What are your thoughts on the iPad’s future in Apple’s lineup? Let us know in the comments.
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