In this guide, we will explore the current market for Apple iPads, the future sales prospects, and the top-selling models, as well as how you can buy iPads wholesale to resell.
Apple iPads in Numbers:
- The first iPad was introduced by Apple in 2010.
- 71 million iPads were sold globally in 2020.
- Apple sold 33% more iPads globally in 2020 than in 2019.
- The iPad sold 45.5 million units in the second quarter of 2022
- iPad revenue in Q3 2022 is expected to reach $7.2 billion, down from $7.3 billion in the previous quarter.
- Apple's CEO indicated during the company's Q1-22 Financial Conference Call that revenue increase was seen across all product categories except the iPad owing to supply constraints.
- While Apple's iPad did not increase sales toward the end of 2021, it was still the global tablet leader during the Christmas quarter.
- In 4Q 2021, iPad shipments were 57.8 million. This compares with 30.9 million and 17.7 million for Samsung and Lenovo tablets.
- The top selling iPads currently are the iPad 2021, iPad mini 2021, iPad Pro 2021, and iPad Air 2020.
Top Five Tablet Companies, Worldwide Shipments, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, Q4 2021
| Top Tablet Companies Performance | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | 4Q21 Unit Shipments | 4Q21 Market Share | 4Q20 Unit Shipments | 4Q20 Market Share | Year-Over-Year Growth |
| 1. Apple | 17.5 | 38.0% | 19.1 | 36.6% | -8.6% |
| 2. Samsung | 7.3 | 15.9% | 9.3 | 17.8% | -21.6% |
| 3. Lenovo | 4.6 | 10.0% | 6.2 | 11.8% | -25.4% |
| 4. Amazon | 3.6 | 7.9% | 3.6 | 6.8% | 1.3% |
| 5. Huawei | 2.5 | 5.5% | 2.9 | 5.6% | -13.9% |
| 6. Others | 10.5 | 22.8% | 11.1 | 21.3% | -5.9% |
| Total | 46.0 | 100.0% | 52.2 | 100.0% | -11.9% |
Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, January 28, 2022
As we can see, the year-on-year comparisons show the continued decline in tablet sales, almost across the board. As more powerful and more versatile laptop-tablet hybrids, such as the Microsoft Surface line, gain in popularity, the market for dedicated tablets has reduced.
Sales of iPads, worldwide, 2013-2021:
- 2011 - 32.3 million
- 2012 - 58.1 million
- 2013 - 97 million
- 2014 - 67.9 million
- 2015 - 53.8 million
- 2016 - 45.5 million
- 2017 - 43.7 million
- 2018 - 43.5 million
- 2019 - 45.2 million
- 2020 - 71.1 million
- 2021 - 57.8 million
Source: IDC.com, 2022.
After launching the iPad, sales have decreased significantly from 2013 to 2019, rising during the pandemic in 2020 and falling again after. However, of all tablet manufacturers, Apple still rules the roost with the iPad.
The Top Selling Apple iPad Models
Apple introduced the first iPad in 2010, and it has been popular ever since. In 2020, 45.5 million iPads were sold, while iPad sales generated about 7.65 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in the second quarter of 2022 alone. Between January and March 2022, the iPad lineup accounted for 31.8% of global tablet shipments, making Apple the number one brand in that product category. Today's top-selling iPad models are iPad 2021, iPad Mini 2021, iPad Pro 2021, and iPad Air 2020.
According to MacPrices.net, an online price trend aggregator for Apple products, which checks prices each day to find the best prices online, the best listing prices for each of the models in new or like-new (open box) condition as of June 2022 are:
| Apple iPads Pricing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Release Date | Retail Price | Amazon Price | eBay Price |
| iPad 2021 | September 24, 2021, | $329-$459 | $299-$559.99 | $342-$475 |
| iPad Mini 2021 | September 24, 2021, | $499-$649 | $409-$699.99 | $329-$650 |
| iPad Pro 2021 | May 21, 2021, | $799-$1099 | $689-$1049.99 | $849 |
| iPad Air 2020 | October 23, 2020, | $599-$749 | $569.99-$849.99 | |
Retail prices as of July 2022 - apple.com
iPad 2021
This is the ninth generation of iPad, released in September 2021. The iPad 2021 was the top-selling tablet worldwide in the first quarter of 2022.
iPad Mini 2021
The sixth generation of iPad Mini was also released in September 2021, and it became the second most sold iPad in the first quarter of 2022.
iPad Pro 2021
The fifth generation of iPad Pro was released in May 2021. It comes in two sizes, with prices starting at $799. This is, at the moment, the third highest selling iPad, still outselling every Android tablet in the market.
iPad Air 2020
Launched in October 2020, the iPad Air became the 5th best-selling tablet overall in the first three months of 2022. However, it is expected to leap up in Q2 of 2022. In 2021, the iPad Air accounted for 19% of the total iPad shipment in Q1 of 2021. That is approximately 2,413,000 units. The iPad (2021), iPad mini (2021), iPad Pro (2021), and iPad Air (2020) accounted for a combined 94% of Apple’s total tablet sales in Q1 2022.
iPad 2020
The 8th generation of iPad 2020 was introduced in September 2020, became the top-selling tablet of the year and sold 12.7 million units in Q1 of 2021. Currently, iPad 2020 accounts for less than 6% of the total iPads sold in Q1 of 2022, less than 726,000 units, making it less popular than the other four models mentioned in this article.
Source: NBC, 2021.
What is the Current iPad Market?
While facing a shortage of iPads in 2021 due to the global shortage in semiconductors, Apple is still the dominant player in the tablet market. Apple users are famously loyal to the brand, so demand for iPads will likely remain high.
However, brand loyalty hasn’t been enough to stop Apple’s steady decrease in market share over the years, from 60 percent in 2011 to slightly over 30 percent in 2021. Apple’s strongest competitors are Samsung, Lenovo, and Huawei, with Amazon also holding a significant market share. This is reflected in the market presence of iOS, Apple’s operating system, which lost its top position in late 2012. At present, Android has a 52 percent market share, with iOS holding only 37 percent.
Tablet sales surged in 2020, mostly driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. But as more workers returned to the office and students to in-person teaching, these figures began to fall. Data also suggests that global tablet revenues will continue to drop, falling $3.2bn by 2025.
Sourcing Wholesale Apple iPads
Source: Business of Apps, 2022.
Sourcing Wholesale Apple iPads from Apple Directly
The requirements to become an official Apple wholesaler are difficult to meet, especially for a small business. Most wholesalers and all businesses that have just started operations will not be able to meet these requirements. Check out Apple’s requirements for vendor applications here.
But there are ways you can buy Apple inventory wholesale that does not require purchasing wholesale from Apple itself.
Sourcing Apple iPads from goWholesale
The alternative is to source your Apple inventory at wholesale marketplaces like goWholesale. goWholesale specialises in supplying new and refurbished products wholesale to business customers, including iPads.
goWholesale offers three main advantages: flexibility, transparency, and savings. goWholesale allows you to mix and match any combination of items from any product line. Every product sold on goWholesale’s online platform comes with a warranty (typically 90 days from the date of delivery).
Every product comes with a complete sales history and price trend data so you don’t have to leave our site to perform product research on what the current market prices are for a product. Check out what wholesale iPads we have available for sale right now.