Apple Confirms iPad Eating into Mac Sales

New Mac sales for Apple’s third fiscal quarter hit 3.95 million, up 14 percent year over year, but they could’ve been higher if at least some buyers hadn’t chosen an iPad instead. Apple COO Tim Cook confirmed that the iPad has been eating into Mac sales during the company’s third quarter earnings report on Tuesday.

The revelation comes as a surprise not only because Mr. Cook actually confirmed one of the company’s products is impacting sales of another, but also because Apple hasn’t ever said before today that such a thing has happened.

iPad to MacBook Air: Om Nom NomiPad eating into Mac sales

Apple sold some 9.25 million iPads during the quarter, topping analyst estimates. With more than a year’s worth of sales, Apple can now compare year over year growth, and for the iPad that number is up 183 percent.

Losing some Mac sales to the iPad doesn’t, however, mean that Apple’s desktop and laptop computer line is languishing. With a 14 percent increase in sales compared to the same quarter last year, Mac growth is still dramatically outpacing the PC industry as a whole.

The company is expected to release new MacBook Air models soon, too, especially since it will be releasing the next version of OS X, Lion, on Wednesday. Despite speculation, Apple didn’t say when new Mac models would ship.