Thoughts on the Apple iPad and the Tablet Market
Written by RJC | Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 | |
Filed under: General
Imagine having a a mobile device that allows you to browse the internet , read the news and conduct research. Imagine the same device allowing you to check your email. Imagine applications such as games, videos and productivity tools like text editors or spreadsheets. Doing all of this, as you’ve guessed, on your lap.
Sounds awfully a lot like a notebook or netbook to me. Hasn’t it been done already?
One can argue that this device, will not have a keyboard because it has onscreen keyboard input. Completely touchscreen with multi-touch gestures on a slick interface. Not bad, but I’m still not buying… just yet.
Apple Dominance?
There has been an incessant amount of news about Apple’s next product release for a couple months now. Ever since rumors about a tablet based mobile device started that Steve Jobs is completely nuts over. Supposedly its the “Most Important Thing” he has ever done. Time will tell if this is true or not.
Steve Jobs holding the iPad - Image courtesy and credits to Engadget
Today Apple held its press conference on the upcoming Apple iPad. The hardware piece is designed beautifully, as expected, like the iPhone/iPod Touch but there really is no re-design. If anything, its an oversized iPhone/iPod Touch. So what’s Apple perspective? Dominating the mobile device market, of course.
One key point in today’s press conference I found is a shift in Apple’s strategy. With the absurd amount of iPods and iPhones being sold, Apple is leveraging themselves as the ultimate mobile device manufacturer which they re-iterate several times today. This is the most interesting part and makes one wonder the direction Apple is moving towards in the future.
What Will Be the iPad’s Market?
Is there a place in the market for an iPad? The hardware specifications are not overly impressive nor is the pricing. Pricing starts at $499 and goes up with more storage space as well as 3G option. The high-end will sport 64 GB of storage space with 3G capability (through AT&T apparently) and will cost $829. A bit steep for a gadget, a toy or a reader.
iPad pricing. - Image courtesy and credit to Engadget
The iPad looks like it will directly compete against Amazon’s Kindle on the surface. However, add peripherals like the dock with keyboard, you suddenly have a mini workstation. Accessories will be key for a product like the iPad. But we all know Apple charges an arm and leg for accessories so it wouldn’t surprise me if the keyboard dock goes for sale at a $200 mark. I cannot imagine at this moment there being huge adoption besides owning it for the wow factor. The last thing I need in this economy is another device that supposedly will change my lifestyle and increase productivity but ends up being less than entertaining.
iPad with keyboard dock - Image courtesy and credits to Engadget
Will the iPad compete against netbooks? Apple claims netbooks to be slow and less powerful with an ugly display. I disagree because I personally own an Asus 1201n and it is quite a capable performer as a netbook. In addition, I refuse to be tied down to the experience Apple wants me to have. Relying on the App store for applications. Relying on the iPad OS, which looks a bit limited at this moment. I like to be able to configure my devices and its what I have become accustomed to. And I have to remind you, it took three iPhone OS updates before Cut and Paste was finally implemented.
What else will be missing? One prominently comes to mind will be support for Flash. Finally, relying on Apple proprietary accessories such as display cables, docks, chargers, etc. is not something I look forward to.
Looking Forward on Tablets and Mobile Devices
Before Apple made this announcement today, many companies had already announced a similar tablet device for their product lineup in 2010 at CES earlier this month. So its safe to say that it is pretty much decided that tablets are coming in full force to consumers.
Interestingly enough is that Google just launched its Nexus One mobile phone and with its Chrome OS on the horizon, it’s a safe bet that we will soon see a tablet from them. My hopes are a collaborative effort from say, Google launching its Chrome OS on a tablet built by HTC/Asus in partnership with Amazon.
Thats quite a bit of players involved but it makes sense. Amazon isn’t a hardware manufacturer but they are the super mall in the world wide web and can provide services and products that rivals Apple in terms of media (books, music and videos). Just drop the Kindle.
Google’s Chrome OS needs a platform to launch on and an ideal one would be on a tablet that directly competes against the Apple iPad. I mention HTC because they are already familiar with Google’s OS structure while developing their smart phones. Finally, because it is a tablet and it ventures into PC territory, Asus would be ideal because after all, they launched the first netbook and changed the entire mobile computing industry.
That would be some interesting development, wouldn’t it?
Tagged as: apple ipad, computer tablet, mobile computing, mobile device manufacturer |
