Here’s what iPad users do with their old devices

Last week we saw why iPad users take so long to use their tablets. Now we know what they do with them when they finally buy a replacement.

If you’re an iPad user, you’ve probably given an old iPad to a friend or family member, or been gifted with kindness. We’re not the only ones, according to a new study by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP). While most iPhone users replace their phones with a newer model, iPad users tend to simply give them away. But why?

“(P)eople are more likely to give away their old iPads than iPhones, mainly because iPads tend to last longer. Unlike iPhones, which are subject to daily wear and tear and frequent battery charging, iPads are often used in more stationary settings and for less demanding tasks,” Diasy co-founder and CEO and home technology expert Hagan Kappler told Lifewire by email.

give me your hand

First, some numbers. Of those surveyed who upgraded to an iPhone, 42 percent replaced their current iPhone with a new one compared to just 3 percent of iPad buyers. Instead, 31 percent of iPad upgraders gave their old iPad to friends or family compared to just 11 percent of iPhone users.

Interestingly, it was about the same – in both cases, about a third of all respondents kept their old iPhone or iPad.

The survey covers another interesting category – the number of people who replaced a device because the previous one was lost, stolen or broken. For iPhone buyers, that number was 6 percent. In the case of iPad users, a much higher 23 percent.

Why might this be so? To answer this question, consider last week’s discovery that iPad users have been using their devices for years. It seems less likely that your iPad will be stolen or lost compared to your phone, which is smaller and you always take with you. My guess is that these iPads stay in the home, but they get so old that they either die or – because they are used longer – they are just more likely to get damaged.

Exchange

So what are these exchange numbers all about? Why do 14 times more iPhone owners partially replace their current device than iPad users? Again, this is a testament to the longevity of the iPad, albeit in a paradoxical way.

Let’s say you replace your iPhone every two to three years. This means that your current phone is still fairly current, it’s probably the model Apple sells new, and the trade-in price is still pretty good. It’s not as good as selling yourself, but it’s good enough that you’ll take the hit and avoid the hassle of selling privately.

Additionally, Apple regularly runs promotions through its iPhone Trade-In Program, which helps increase trade-in purchases. And finally, on the Apple side, you might just get a better deal on an iPhone trade-in than on an iPad. I don’t have long-term research to back this up, but whenever I check iPhone trade-in prices, I’m tempted to trade it in, and whenever I do it for the iPad, I laugh at the poor deal.

Compare this to the iPad. Because we keep them for much longer than our phones, they will be worth less when we eventually replace them. Maybe your old iPad is so old that it won’t be able to run the latest version of iPadOS. Maybe it works great but is too beat up to sell.

“For me and how often I get new gadgets, I’m more likely to upgrade to a phone than an iPad. Phones are getting better and fancier, so I like to upgrade to the latest one with all the cool features. But iPads are pretty good at what they do,” consumer trends analyst Nguyen Huy told Lifewire by email.

Let’s take an example from the real world. Let’s say I want to buy a new iPad Pro and replace my old 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2018. Even if it was in perfect condition, Apple would only give me $315 for it. It doesn’t seem worth it considering it still has a few years of use left.

Instead, I would do what everyone else seems to be doing and either keep it, maybe use it as a TV or second display for the Mac, or give it to my partner who still uses my previous iPad.

“(F)amilies often keep older iPads for secondary uses like streaming, reading, or basic browsing, making them perfect for gifting items. The larger screen is especially useful for educational and entertainment applications, making older iPads still valuable even after several years, says Kappler.

And that sums it up nicely. The old iPad is still useful and still offers almost everything the new iPad can do.