This past week, Apple announced what is assumed to be a long overdue iPad focused event for May 7th, 2024. As interested as I am in the products that will be announced, I’m equally as curious about how Apple intends to market them. And not just these particular iPads, but the iPad line in general. Effectively positioning iPad in the tech market has been a problem from day one for Apple, and taking a year off from hardware releases hasn’t helped. Before I speculate on how I think the company might market iPad going forward, I want to take a look at some of Apple’s previous marketing directions for iPad.

Our most advanced technology, in a magical & revolutionary device, at an unbelievable price

In the months leading up to the original iPad’s announcement, there were rumors the device would cost north of $1000 USD. Apparently, this type of misdirection is something Apple and other companies do from time to time. Raise expectations so that you can beat them on release.

This ended up setting the tone for the initial reaction to the iPad. A $500 tablet that grew out of the burgeoning iPhone revolution. Despite some initial skepticism from the tech press, consumers responded enthusiastically to new product category. The tablet pc’s that came before hadn’t caught on, so for many the idea of a tablet new and exciting.

The clearest expression of our vision for the future of computing

This might be my favorite of their marketing lines, even though from a product perspective, iPad was struggling as this time. After iOS 7, iPad software entered a troubled era with really boring and uninspired designs compared to iPhone. iOS 7 specfically felt like a breath of fresh air on iPhone, and an afterthought on iPad. It really took until iOS 13 to feel like iPad apps were coming into their own again.

Depending on who you believe, this was the time period where some in Apple really believed the iPad would one day replace the Mac. I question how true that is. As a company that derives most of their revenue from selling devices, why would they want to “replace” any of them?

This era also gave us the infamous “what’s a computer” iPad ad.

I always thought it was amusing, but it seems to make some people irrationally angry. It underscores the point across that for the things most people do on their computer’s an iPad is more than enough.

Our most versatile device….

Apple’s most recent marketing focus has been to highlight the versatility offered by iPad. Given that it is their only device to support mouse/keyboard, touch, and stylus, that makes sense. I don’t hate this direction, but it lacks the punch of some their previous marketing angles. For non-Mac users, this really isn’t anything special since touch support on PC laptops is pretty common.

This has also coincided with what feels like a general reduction in iPad promotion. Covid lockdowns brought a surge in both iPad and Mac demand, and coincided with MacBook redesigns and migrating Apple Silicon from iPad and iPhone to Mac. Apple ended up putting more marketing dollars behind the Mac, seemingly to the detriment of the iPad.

So what’s next?

The most recent points of reference I have are WWDC 2023 and the product release video Apple released for Final Cut and Logic for iPad. I’ve been wondering if iPads are being re-positioned as high-school/college age computers. Apple has used lots of imagery of college age students using their tablets for note-taking or studying. Positioning Final Cut and Logic as “entry level” versions of their macOS counterparts. I would imagine if XCode comes to iPad, it will be positioned the same.

Why does any of this matter?

I spend more time than I care to admit reading people’s commentary, mostly complaints, about the iPad. A common thread I see in many of them is misaligned expectations. Its kind of interesting that 14 years after the product was released, people still come to the iPad without knowing anything about it. They expect it to be a Mac, when it…isn’t. It’s an iPad. Its a different thing.

And maybe Apple is somewhat at fault here. It’s not unreasonable to think that if , for example, Apple’s back to school sales include Macs and iPads, that the company is saying an iPad is enough for a student to make it through college. I can’t think of any major would it alone would be sufficient.

A big part of reinvigorating the iPad line will involve presenting a clear and concise statement as to why this product makes sense in the larger tech ecosystem. I’m excited to see what Apple comes up with.