Awaiting Apple: Data Show iPad 2 Most Common, Air Best Selling iPad

Tomorrow is Apple’s “one more thing” event devoted to new iPads and Macs. Earlier today some of the anticipated iPad announcements leaked, showing an “iPad Air 2” and an “iPad Mini 3.” While these will no doubt be interesting (even compelling) devices introduced, will consumers feel compelled to buy them?

Analytics platform Localytics released data showing that the iPad 2 is still the most common iPad in the market almost four years since its introduction. That illustrates why the tablet market appears to be slowing: longer replacement cycles vs. smartphones.

Gartner predicts slower tablet growth in its device forecast. The firm projected 11 percent year-over-year sales growth for tablets from 2013 to 2014, which is still healthy but not a torrent.

In addition to longer tablet, and specifically longer iPad replacement cycles, larger-screen smartphones (e.g., iPhone 6 Plus, Nexus 6) may be hurting sales. So-called phablets may be growing at the expense of tablets.

Notwithstanding the fact that the iPad 2 is the most common iPad, research firm Consumer Intelligence Research Partners said this week that the iPad Air is currently the best-selling iPad. This conclusion is based on a consumer survey of 500 Apple device owners in September.

Today, in the U.S. market, roughly 80 percent of tablet-related web traffic comes from iPads, while 14 percent is driven by Android devices. The rest is Linux/other.

To know for sure how consumers will react we’ll have to see what’s officially announced tomorrow and how different they are from what already exists. We’ll be blogging the keynote so return tomorrow to find out what’s officially revealed.