New research from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) shows that the iPad Air and the Retina iPad mini accounted for 57% of the total number of iPads sold in the U.S. during the holiday quarter, eclipsing other iPad models available from Apple. The iPad Air and Retina iPad mini, which launched only on November 1st, accounted for 41% and 16% of total iPad sales, respectively. The fourth-generation iPad that was available in stores until the iPad Air was launched accounted for 13% of sales, while first-generation iPad mini sales made up 25%. Only 5% of sales were iPad 2 units, a number significantly lower than the 27% registered in the December quarter back in 2012.
“Apple managed to shift significant sales to its higher-priced models,” CIRP Partner and Co-Founder Mike Levin said. “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.”
CIRP’s findings are based on a survey of 500 Apple customers who purchased an iPhone, iPad or Mac during the holiday quarter in the U.S. In total, Apple had five different iPad models in stores during the period, including the 7.9-inch iPad mini and Retina iPad mini, and the 9.7-inch iPad 2, iPad fourth-generation and iPad Air.
Apple will reveal consolidated iPad sales numbers on January 27th, when it’s set to release its financial results for the holiday quarter. Analysts already expect the company to post record iPhone sales for the period – the average from 44 analyst estimates is currently at 55.3 million iPhones.
