With slowing sales for the iPad, while the iPhone is going from strength to strength, Neil Cybart wonders if it has already plateaued, if it turns out to be a consumption device for the web and Netflix, and not a computer to replace the Mac.
I actually believe that the iPad is loosing sales because the iPhone is supplanting it as the better consumption device, that the 6 plus is the device those iPad mini owners really wanted, and that the iPad has not yet improved to the point where you can do more complicated tasks easily.
While Apple will support running two apps side by side with iOS 9, it still has work to do to replace the collaboration that is enabled in a crude manner by the file system on PCs. Add to this that the App Store is not very supportive to financially support quality applications, not to mention the risk of censorship by Apple, and we are not seeing many new, great apps: iPhoto discontinued, and I do not remember any great new apps since Pixelmator, OmniGraffle, Paper.
On the hardware side, I believe we slowly realize that the iPad is portable, but not mobile computing, and that it is therefore reasonable to trade a larger surface for better productivity, and accept a bit of extra bulk as the trade off. The trouble is that the threshold for something you can comfortably hold in your hands for longer periods is roughly 400g, maybe 500g. Once we are able to buy an iPad with whole day battery life and a 12″ screen area for this weight, it will replace most PCs and Macs in use.