The technological marvel of the decade, the iPad, has taken the gadget world by storm. With the original iPad now in its fourth iteration, the iPad 2 boasting three models, and the all-new iPad Mini poised to smash through the sales records of its progenitors, Apple has one hell of a money-spinner on its hands.
But what if the iPad were suddenly a standalone company? A recent report from Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi has calculated that the iPad line brought in $32bn in sales in 2011 and currently accounts for about 60% of the tablet market. This market share is set to grow, hitting 75% in 2013, bringing in predicted revenues of $46bn.
Compare that to say, Macdonalds, which made $27bn in global revenues back in 2011, or Nike, with revenues of $20.9bn, and you get an idea of the scale of this tech phenomenon.
iPad Inc, the spin off, would slot in at number 98 on the Fortune 500, leaving Maccy D's, Nike, Gap and Time Warner trailing in its wake. And this is an upstart launched just three years ago, compared to a giant like Time Warner, which was first launched as Warner Communications back in 1972.
That makes the multi-billion-making iPad one hell of a toddler.
