Is The Replacement Cycle For iPads Closer To That of Macs And TVs?

According to a new study by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (via Fortune), the replacement cycle of the iPad is closer to that of the Mac (which tend to get replaced every 2-4 years) or at worst  TVs (5-10 years).

Ideally, Apple wants the replacement cycle to be closer to the iPhone, which is every 2 years.

Consumer Intelligence Research Partners surveyed 2,000 U.S. customers who purchased an iPhone, iPad or Mac in 2013. Here are some key findings (via Fortune):

• Replacement: Eight out of ten lost or broken iPhones are replaced within two days. Owners of a broken Mac or iPad may not get to it for a week or more.

• Recycling: iPad owners are more than twice as likely as iPhone owners to give their old tablets to a friend or family member.

• First-time buyers: Only 1-2% of iPhone buyers purchase their very first phone. By contrast, the percentage of first-time iPad buyers was 78% in December 2013, down only slightly from 84% in March 2013.

“We think Apple would prefer the iPad become a big iPhone,” the report concludes. “We suspect, though, based on recent CIRP data about how buyers use them, that it’s as much like a Mac, TV, or iPod, with less frequent replacement.”

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