Introduction
The current technological environment has seen an increased demand for technological products to the greatest degree. Advancements in technology have resulted in various organizations/companies adopting the use of technology to improve workflow, among other things. The most commonly adopted forms of technology have been computerized items. This paper is about Ipad marketing plan.
Their demand comes from the ability of computerization to increase efficiency in communication, information sharing, and the saving and retrieving of data from different sources, among other functions. The iPad remains one of the most relevant computerized devices currently serving various functions both in the employment industry as well as for personal usage. It was first announced in 2010, with the first generations of iPads released in 2010.
Ever since their release, iPads have continued to improve generation after generation, becoming more functional and gaining the ability to rival personal computers such as laptops because of how portable they are.
Reduced Workload
Apple continued to improve the iPads in their goal to provide consumers with a portable electronic device capable of doing the workload of a personal computer while remaining light and portable. This has made the iPad a highly preferred electronic device both for personal and professional uses. However, the marketing and distribution of these devices still require carefully thought planning and implementation of a marketing plan that will ensure these devices can beat competition from other devices such as laptops and, mainly, the other tablet devices in the market.
Ipad marketing plan that focuses on marketplace analysis, goals and objectives, marketing mix, and the necessary recommendations to improve the iPad positioning will shed more light on the current state of the iPad and how best to improve its positioning even further.
Marketplace Analysis-Ipad marketing plan
The marketing environment of a product plays a significant role in how products such as iPads are sold. Apple currently has a 58 percent market share when it comes to tablet sales, followed by Samsung, which sits at 22 percent of this market share (StatCounter, 2020). To better understand the iPad’s positioning, it is worth looking at the competitive forces that are existent within the iPad market segment.
In this situation, it is worth looking at the advertisement for iPads and any other actions that Apple has taken to directly influence its iPad sales. The competition in computerized devices is mainly high in mobile phones and laptops. There is a lack of high competitiveness in the tablet industry considering they also do not get highly marketed compare to things like mobile phones and laptops.
While other organizations do not appear to actively market their tablet products, Apple took an interesting approach by claiming the iPads will work as portable replacements to personal computers (Rogowsky, 2016). The idea was that the tablets provide pc solutions while being extremely portable and having the ability to run real software like computers do (Rogowsky, 2016).
SWOT Analysis-Ipad marketing plan
Considering the recent updates in the iPad lineups from 2018 to now, it is evident that Apple is gunning for iPads as viable replacements for personal computers such as laptops while offering customers a more interactive device with features such as the Apple pencil, among other things. A SWOT analysis will provide better insight into the positioning of the iPad within the tablet market segment-Ipad marketing plan
Strengths
The first significant strength of the iPad and Apple at large is that Apple is currently a highly renowned technological company. It is known for its seamlessly integrated ecosystem between Apple devices as well as the manufacturing of quality and reliable products. This is a big advantage for Apple even when it comes up with new products because people have faith in the company’s ability to deliver on its products and services.
Additionally, the iPad is also considered an efficient product for business owners, employees, and students. It is considered an all-rounded product that can serve anyone from business people to students because it is capable of meeting all the needs of different people no matter their setting. Even though it is not a product highly popular with students, it is advertised as an all-rounder (Frue, 2018), and that students can also use it as they see fit.
Other strengths of the iPad come from the hardware that continues to improve generation after generation making the iPad more appealing to customers compared to other tablet lineups (Ganguly, 2020). The iPads not how improved performances because of Apple’s latest CPU and graphic chips that make it outshine other tablets like the Samsung tablets. Furthermore, other things that attract customers include its intuitive interface and awesome display, ease of use, and more available applications for use compared to the android tablets.
Weaknesses
One weakness that customers have complained about when it comes to iPads, as well as other devices such as iPhones, is the inability to customize these devices, often leading to customers choosing to jailbreak their devices. The lack of customization options may seem like a minor thing, but it affects a large number of customers who up to date choose to remain with Android devices because of the lack of such simple features.
In addition, the tablets have had significant issues with multitasking even though they are capable. Apple has found it difficult to seamlessly include multitasking in their tablets, considering that sometimes when one is operating an application in the presence of another, some might get paused (Ganguly, 2020).
Furthermore, it is impossible to expand the storage on iPads, something that Apple has adopted with almost all of its devices. If an individual wants larger storage, he/she has to part with more cash to get more storage. Most Android tablets, on the other hand, offer customers the ability to expand their storage using micro-SD expansion slots.
iPad devices are also unable to play flash or shockwave videos, even though this is a feature that is less of a concern nowadays. It is still an issue worth addressing considering that websites have now adopted more HTML 5, which is Apple-compatible.
Finally, Apple devices remain extremely expensive in their different market segments, and the iPad also faces the same predicament. Compared to other tablet devices, iPads are the most expensive, considering that the affordable pricing of these devices was a major selling point during the first years of their launch.
Opportunities
Apple has the capabilities of positioning the iPad as an enterprise product by further tying it to the corporate lifestyle or incentivizing iPads as corporate-level products for organizations and their employees. The front camera of the iPad can further be improved to make it more appealing to the customer.
The organization can also further position the iPad as a legitimate laptop replacement by including more features such as the newly introduced iPad OS, which gives these devices more functionality. Apple can further build on such aspects and make the iPad more versatile for use as a computer to invite more customers to the brand. The iPad is a device that can be used by all family members if the company can adopt multi-account support like in computers such as windows computers.
Such a feature would make it easier to use the devices without a single family having to purchase multiple devices for use at once. Finally, Apple can seek to also partner with schools by providing them with offers for iPads to be used by teaching staff and students in classrooms. This could mean developing education-focused iPads, but it also means gaining more market share and recognition.
Threats
The biggest threat to Apple, not only with its iPads, but other products such as the iPhone and the MacBook, comes from the increasing competition from other organizations. Apple has managed to stay innovative and ahead of rival companies for the longest time. However, it appears that these organizations are catching up at a fast rate, thus, threatening Apple’s position within the technological realm.
Additionally, the price point of Apple products remains a big issue considering that companies are coming up with more affordable and yet performing options for Apple products such as the iPad (Rogowsky, 2016). Furthermore, companies such as Samsung continue to improve their products, making them worthy candidates when it comes to the tablet industry as well as other products such as mobile phones. This is making such companies more and more popular and worthy rivals for Apple and its product lineups as time goes by. Performance Goals
What to do
Apple needs to consider newer performance goals in order to improve the sale of some of its products, such as the iPad. The smart device market continues to flourish with new innovative products coming in and challenging Apple’s position. There is an increased demand for smartphones with new features as customers only seek to upgrade products with significant technological improvement or upgrades (Montero et al., 2014).
The lack of significant upgrades causes consumers to keep using their previous products. The iPad, however, has come a long way in terms of technological upgrades, but it still has a hard time becoming the people’s favorite. However, the demand for portable computing devices might be the breakthrough that Apple needs. Hence, it should focus on improving the iPad and advertising the product more to possible consumers so that these devices continue entering the market. The more they transgress the smart device market, the more people will appreciate the importance of these devices and their capabilities.
Target Market-Ipad marketing plan
It is no secret that the target market for Apple users has mostly been high-end consumers who are willing to pay that little extra money to receive seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem. Target users for the iPad are mostly people who have had the Apple user experience, and they want more of that. Therefore, these individuals are mostly previous users of Apple devices who want to extend their experiences by having an option to their laptop devices.
Instead of using a MacBook, the person has an option of finding all the necessary documents or doing other tasks on the iPad, considering that it is capable of performing at an almost similar level to the MacBook minus the heftiness of having to carry around something as large as a MacBook. Hence, the target segment for the iPad users are people who want a classy and smart tablet that will offer them features close to those of a laptop while remaining extremely portable and usable.
More so, these people will remain within the Apple ecosystem where all their files, documents, among other things like photos, are connected and easily available via the cloud. Furthermore, the unique selling proposition that Apple can use to further push this product is the new and exclusive specs of the iPad that make it function more like a computer while remaining extremely portable with increased functionality.
Marketing Mix-Ipad marketing plan
An appropriate marketing mix is important in enhancing the success of the iPad within the tablet market segment. The following marketing mix can be considered.
Product
Communication remains an important part of current technology-overridden society. Therefore, the iPad can be considered as a communication device that allows customers to continue communicating with one another while also being able to perform computing tasks that would mostly be done using PCs without the immediate need for one.
Customers will be receiving an advanced device that can work both as an advanced smartphone as well as a mini-computer that will allow them to conduct all their computing tasks with ease. The leading-edge performance is the most important aspect coupled with the access to the apple ecosystem where all an individual’s Apple devices remain connected to one system.
Place
IPad products have been mainly distributed by Apple itself coupled with the selling of these products using other third-party participants such as mobile phone networks, electronic retailers as well as e-tailers. This should remain the same considering it is producing significant results for the organization and the sale of its products.
Price
A major weakness for Apple as a tech company has come from the pricing of its products. This pricing may be considered viable, considering that Apple provides quality products and services to its customers. The company is good at living up to its promises; however, the pricing of products such as the iPad can be reduced to attract more customers to the organization without the company suffering significant loss margins.
The iPad Pro and the iPad Air are the two main lineups, and the price should be slightly reduced to make them more appealing. For instance, the iPad Pro 11″ can be sold from around 650$ to 800$ depending on the configuration, and the iPad Pro 12.9″ can be sold from 850$ to around 1050$. This price range will be more appealing compare to the current pricing range of these products. On the other hand, the iPad air can be sold even at a lower price range.
Promotion
The marketing strategies utilized by apple over the years have been considered as some of the smartest marketing ideas (Rogowsky, 2016). The company has unique ways of marketing its products that have worked to the organization’s advantage over the years. Apple’s promotions for its devices always take an innovative angle, and this is a similar strategy that should be implemented with the iPad lineups.
The promise for a portable computing device capable of performing at the level of MacBook and other laptop options is a huge selling point that can be used to promote these iPad devices. Therefore, a widespread PR launch couples with the use of other platforms such as social media would make for a great promotional strategy. On the other hand, the company can invest more in other advertising strategies such as mixing social media advertising with other extensive online and media advertising platforms.
Recommendations-Ipad marketing plan
Apple products are highly appreciated and well-received among a large number of customers. However, the appreciation for these products can be greatly affected by the pricing of most Apple products. The iPad, for instance, is a product that a large majority of people would choose to buy if these products were a little cheaper. However, people tend to avoid such products because it means compromising on whether to buy a MacBook and an iPhone to be able to afford to buy the iPad.
Most consumers cannot afford to buy all three products. Therefore, many will opt to buy either the iPhone alone or the MacBook. If one was to buy two Apple products, then he/she would forego the iPad and settle with having a MacBook and an iPhone. Therefore, the iPad often gets left hanging mainly because of the lack of more marketing initiatives for this product or the difficulty of people in choosing which Apple product to sacrifice to get an iPad (Montero et al., 2014).
With the way the current market is shaping up, iPads have the opportunity to become some of the highest-selling Apple products if they get positioned in a manner that favors what they can do. These devices currently have extremely fast and efficient CPUs and GPUs that will allow them to rival some of the computers currently in the market.
Goal
Therefore, the goal should be for Apple to further improve the iPad OS software and make it more usable from the perspective of laptop users. If laptop users can get the same functionality they receive while using their laptops and MacBooks on their iPads, it will be easier for them to consider switching to iPads or buying them as a supplementary device to laptops. Furthermore, Apple should also consider adopting modern technology for its iPads, such as first charging capabilities to make them more appealing to customers.
Doing so will allow the iPad to become more and more popular with people who are seeking laptop solutions that are lighter and more portable. Furthermore, the fact that iPads have more connectivity options makes them more appealing. Hence, it is up to Apple as a company to make people iPad friendly by giving them more reasons to buy and use iPads.
Conclusion-Ipad marketing plan
Even though the iPad is quite an appealing product in the current realm of information technology, it still struggles to make a break when compared to other Apple products such as the iPhone and MacBook. These two products are considered some of the best-selling Apple products, while the iPad maintains a lower appeal to apple customers.
Furthermore, the technology world is increasingly becoming more competitive, and Apple might have it more and more difficult to maintain a competitive edge because other companies are catching up fast. New players in the market are coming up with more innovative ideas that continue to challenge Apple’s position; hence, the position of some of its other products also get affected.
However, Apple has room for improvement in terms of its strengths and opportunities, and it can capitalize on them to further increase the sales of produces like the iPad.