iPad mini projected to drive AND cannibalize iPad sales in Q1 2013

As Apple's financial Q1 2013 sales report looms (set for the 23rd of this month), Rob Cihra of Evercore Partners has updated projections on sales for the iPad, iPad mini, and everything in-between. Specifically regarding iPad and iPad mini sales, Cihra makes it clear that a 56 percent year-over-year growth is possible comparing Apple's sales of tablets in their financial Q1 for 2011, with a 71 percent boost appearing compared to the quarter immediately before the one about to be stated by the company officially. These numbers suggest the iPad market to be booming, but due to the projection here of iPad mini numbers alone, we're seeing some devouring of iPad sales as well.

This analysis from Evercore Partners suggests that Apple's report will include 24 million units sold in tablets alone. This number is the total between each different kind of iPad, while Cihra suggests that the iPad mini will be 10 million units strong – that's 42% of the total tablets sold by Apple, mind you. If that's true, considering the percentage growth it represents compared to past quarters, non-mini iPad sales are growing at a rate that suggests iPad mini sales are indeed leaping off of iPad sales while the full group grows by leaps and bounds.

If you look back at Apple's financial Q4 in 2012, you'll see that they reported selling 16 million iPads – that's before the iPad mini was launched. Here in this quarter if indeed sales have moved up 71 percent to 24 million tablets (12 million of them being iPads alone). While the iPad's sales go down from 16 million to 12 million, the iPad mini is launched with 10 million – and again, that's all projected.

Considering a 35 percent growth in iPad sales overall in this projection, would you, the reader, say that Apple made the right decision in creating the iPad mini? What do you think iPad sales would be like if they'd stuck with the larger size display alone? Do you think Cihra's projections will be accurate? We'll see on the 23rd – next week!

[via Apple Insider]