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iPhone 6 denting iPad usage, data shows

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iPhone 5, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPad Mini
Image used with permission by copyright holder
It seems like owners of Apple’s recently launched iPhone 6 are happily ignoring their iPad in favor of their large-screen handset, a factor that suggests a marked fall in iPad sales could be on the way as consumers opt for a single device instead of both a handset and a tablet.

Popular read-it-later app Pocket sifted through data linked to two million article and video opens to see how device usage changed when users who also own an iPad upgraded from a 4-inch iPhone 5/5S to a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 or 5.3-inch iPhone 6 Plus.

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Its research showed that when someone had both an iPhone 5/5S and an iPad, 55 percent of their saved articles and videos would be consumed via their smartphone, while 45 percent would be viewed on the tablet.

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However, after switching to an iPhone 6, users have started viewing an increasing amount of their content on their handset – 72 percent compared to 28 percent via the iPad – apparently demonstrating users’ contentedness with the phone’s larger display.

The shift is even more dramatic for users of the Cupertino company’s largest phone, the iPhone 6 Plus. According to the data, 80 percent of Pocket-saved content was consumed via the iOS phablet, with only 20 percent viewed using Apple’s tablet.

pocket iphone ipad data
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“The bigger your phone is, the less you’re going to use your iPad,” Pocket concluded. “Users with an iPhone 6 now read on their tablets 19 percent less during the week and 27 percent less over the weekend. Those with a 6 Plus are on their tablets 31 percent less during the week and 36 percent less over the weekend.”

While the data concerns just one app, it’s easy to imagine that those with the 6 and 6 Plus are now less likely to put down their phone and reach for their iPad. Such a development indicates that Apple’s tablet sales could take a hit as customers buying an iPhone 6 feel that an iPad offers little extra in the way of user experience.

Indeed, earlier this month reports suggested Apple might even stop updating its smallest iPad, recognizing that iPad owners are likely to spend more time with their handsets. It’s thought that resources may have been shifted from the Mini to the so-called iPad Pro, a rumored 12.2-inch tablet that could land some time next year.

If you’ve ditched your old iPhone for one of its latest large-screen handsets, and also own an iPad, have you found yourself spending less time with the tablet? Let us know in the comments below.

[Source: Pocket]

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Trevor Mogg
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