As competition in the tablet sector intensifies, an International Data Corporation analyst seems to think that Apple has only one way to come out on top: a touch Mac.

Data from October 2015 shows that when it comes to tablets, Microsoft got 45 percent of the total online sales, leaving Apple and its iPads behind, with only 17 percent.

Ryan Reith, who works at IDC as a program director, notes that due to the iPad's sore sales, the Cupertino-based company should quickly rethink its strategy.

"I don't think the iPad as a category grows," Reith said.

The IDC analyst affirms that iPad Pro, in spite of its qualities, is far from being a solution in the long run. In his opinion, the general impression about the iPad Pro is that the gadget is simply a pit stop before Apple decides to equip a Mac with a touch screen.

"I think [a touch Mac] is inevitable," the analyst says.

He underlines that no information from Apple's supply line supports his theory, but he trusts his intuition nevertheless.

To a certain extent, the 12-inch MacBook fits Reith's description as the future big hit. The portability and lightweight of the laptop certainly put it in the same zip code as tablets, the only missing element being the touch screen.

According to Brooke Crothers, the Forbes reporter who talked to Reith, the slim keys from the MacBook are highly similar to those you get on the Microsoft Surface's detachable keyboard.

As Apple fans know, the iPad Pro also comes with a detachable keyboard, transforming the gadget into a tablet-laptop combo.

Reith points out that Apple made a staple out of waiting until they have the best strategy.

"In the typical Apple fashion, they're going to take their time and when they do it, they'll ... do it the right way," he affirms.

Latest results for the last quarter suggest that Apple has to act quickly if it wants to grow.

Tim Cook's company said that it sent out 16.1 million iPads, and numbers show that it's 2 million less than what most analysts predicted. In comparison, the year-on-year figures reveal that clients purchased 21.4 million iPads one year ago.

Whether or not the IDC analyst proves to be right, only time (and press releases) will tell.

We will keep you posted, regardless of the result.