Declining tablet sales have affected even the iPad, and Apple reportedly wants to turn things around with a new push into the space for business workplace technology.
Apple saw drops in iPad sales for the past six consecutive quarters, and the company is reportedly striving to find new ways to boost its tablet business. Amid rumors of a top-notch iPad Pro that could arrive later this year to revive weak iPad sales, focusing on the enterprise and education markets, new information now reveals that Apple is also planning to position its iPad as a more powerful business tool.
More specifically, Apple is apparently working on a new initiative called the Mobility Partner Program, sources familiar with the matter tell the Wall Street Journal. According to the report, Apple is cooperating with 40 companies for this program. This would mark a notable first for Cupertino, as Apple never had such relationships with any other business so far. Moreover, the company is now luring even smaller companies, paving the way to new areas the iPad never targeted before. If in the past Apple mostly ignored smaller firms, now it seems to be venturing into new territories and taking more possibilities into account.
"Apple is doing unnatural acts for a company that traditionally has charted its own path in the consumer market, without much help from others," the WSJ further reports.
The publication also points out that back in March, Apple has even invited other partners to attend one of its sales conferences, marking the first time that outsiders were included in such an event.
The iMaker is reportedly working on making various app bundles to target specific industry segments, including accounting. The rumored 12.9-inch iPad Pro, for instance, would have plenty of screen real estate for spreadsheets and documents, so accounting would be a viable business.
The WSJ also reveals that Apple has talked to mobile phone carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon, to seek help for selling apps and iDevices to businesses.
In other words, Apple has so far focused on selling its iPads to consumers, but now it plans to shift gears and focus on selling its tablets to corporations, pushing them as business tools to counter declining sales.
It remains to be seen whether its efforts toward this endeavor will pay off, but the strategy sounds quite promising especially if the iPad Pro does indeed launch this year.
