Apple's segmentation strategy

Apple is different. Most people sort of intuitively understand that. Some might suggest that the iPad "has" to cannibalize low-end MacBook sales.

The alternative view is that Apple is cannibalizing low-end Windows machines, instead.

The iPad targets a set of applications and use casesthat are not dependent upon keyboards and mice. But there are plenty of jobs for which a tablet is an unsatisfying replacement for a traditional computer, and so the segmentation is pretty clear.

Apple also makes sure it doesn't make low-end MacBooks for which an iPad would represent a practical alternative. Beyond that, every product in the Apple line has a fairly easy to understand role in a user's life, with different form factors and input methods that make each product suitable for different use cases.

Apple's segmentation strategy