All of these factors are combining to drive market forecasts for iPad to levels not seen for computing devices since the initial smartphones and laptops PCs. Even typically conservative market research firms including Gartner are forecasting that Apple will sell well over 100 million iPads by 2015, with Gartner stating the figure will approach 148 million units by that year (Guardian, 2011). The combining of Apple's expertise in human factors engineering, user experience, and the highly profitable Apple iTunes ecosystem all have the attention of Wall Street investment analysts as well. The leading investment firms all have research departments and divisions that monitor technology trends (ZDNet, 2011). Their forecasts for the Apple iPad sales for 2012 globally range from an average of 62,635,714 units estimated by bank analysts to 65,566,667 units across all tech analysts (ZDNet, 2011). Of the banks doing research on iPad forecasts for 2012, Morgan Stanley is most bullish with 81 million units forecast and Barclays Capital forecasting just 51 million units (ZDNet, 2011). Apple's ability to transform innovation into growth is formidable as these forecasts show.

References

iPad to dominate tablet sales until 2015 as growth explodes, says Gartner. (2011, September 22).the Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/sep/22/tablet-forecast-gartner-iPad iPad and Tablet Market Forecasts for 2012 and Beyond [Charts!] | ZDNet. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.zdnet.com/blog/sybase/iPad-and-tablet-market-forecasts-for-2012-and-beyond-charts/2832