1) Apple's tablet iPad faces opportunities, obstacles
1) Apple's tablet iPad faces opportunities, obstacles
All eyes of the tech world were on Apple Wednesday as its CEO Steve Jobs showered his team's "latest creation" a tablet computer "iPad" in front of the palpitating industry, media and Apple fans.
Enjoying the new trendy device, many are also asking questions like: will iPad lead and set pace in the consumer electronics as iPod andiPhone did, and how far could it repackage the traditional media and become a benchmark of the industry.
Tablet computer is not a new idea. Companies including Apple, Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard have attempted to enter the market before with limited success due to technical bugs, bulky sizes and high prices.
The top challenge for Apple appears to be whether it could forge a new ground of consumer needs and wants, and fit it into people's daily life.
"iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before," Jobs said.
How could Apple persuade consumers to purchase a hybrid device crossing between a laptop and a smartphone as they already have both? Jobs said the iPad is "so much more intimate than a laptop and so much more capable than a smartphone."
Jobs and his team hope to create an ultimate multimedia experience with iPad through browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more.
A newspaper reading program from The New York Times and the new iBooks store appears to be one of the main selling points of iPad.
Last week, The New York Times announced that it planned to demand payment for access to its website, which has been linked to the new Apple tablet by analysts.
It was announced at the Wednesday event that consumers could purchase e-books from large publishers in the iBooks store including Penguin, HaperCollins, Simon&Schuster, Macmillan and Hachette Book Group.
Apple is reported to have been amassing digital reading material for iPad since last year. Jobs and his team have sent representatives to the Frankfurt Book Fair last October and have been in talks with News Corp, The New York Times Co., Conde Nast Publications (publisher of 18 magazines), HarperCollins Publishers and television networks including CBS and Disney, according to reports last week from the Wall Street Journal which have always had the first-hand information on the Cupertino-based firm.
Meanwhile, the publishing industry have been holding the highest expectations to the iPad, hoping the innovative device could repackage their business model and usher in a digital future with more profits.
For example, The Financial Times is looking at a system of paying for selected articles, whose publisher Pearson, also a major textbooks producer, has expressed its high expectations to Apple's tablet.
However, trials are also waiting for the new device as the market of electronic reading has been shared by many such as Amazon's Kindle, Sony's Reader and Barney and Noble's Nook. Amazon and Sony were reported to upgrade their products this year.
Analysts pointed out that a low-end e-reader priced at 200 dollars could do a great job in e-reading and Apple needs to create a special reading experience to beat these inevitable rivals.
"Amazon has done a great job of pioneering this functionality with the Kindle," Jobs said. "We are going to stand on their shoulders."
PRICE TAG
Starting at 499 dollars, the price tag of iPad looks not to become a problem and polls showed that iPad has got a ready and waiting base before it is shipped to stores in March.
According to a survey on more than 3,300 U.S. consumers conducted by ChangeWave Research earlier this month, 4 percent of the people polled said they were "very likely" to buy an Apple tablet when it is available, while another 14 percent said they were "somewhat likely" to purchase the device.
Meanwhile, some 37 percent of consumers interested in the product said they would like to spend over 700 dollars, and 75 percent of those said they would pay 500 dollars or more.
There are six models with the basic starting at 499 dollars and the most expensive at 829 dollars. An estimated sale of 5 million units in the first year has been seen in several projections.
OTHER OBSTACLES
Although iPad is widely expected to shake up the industry, some analysts said some factors could make the device become an epic failure.
The virtual keyboard could be inconvenient to use as consumers have been complaining about the keyboard ofiPhone .
Apple gave the solution to this by creating an almost full-size soft keyboard and iPad can also connects to a keyboard dock with a full-size traditional keyboard. However, people have just seen what it looks like and then consumers have to play with it and then pass judgments. For another, if TV networks and media outlets are not willing (or too willing, resulting in high prices) to partner with Apple, the content could be a stunting factor for the success of iPad. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, the company has faced resistance from television companies and cable-network providers over its plan to license just their best content rather than all of it.
Besides, costs of 3G connectivity and the price of data could be another problem. It is unknown whether consumers are willing to pay for an additional tablet data plan besides theiriPhone bills.
So far, two data plans from AT&T in the U.S. were also announced with 14.99 dollars per month for 250 megabytes of data and 29.99 dollars for unlimited data usage.
Source:XinhuaEnjoying the new trendy device, many are also asking questions like: will iPad lead and set pace in the consumer electronics as iPod and
Tablet computer is not a new idea. Companies including Apple, Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard have attempted to enter the market before with limited success due to technical bugs, bulky sizes and high prices.
The top challenge for Apple appears to be whether it could forge a new ground of consumer needs and wants, and fit it into people's daily life.
"iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before," Jobs said.
How could Apple persuade consumers to purchase a hybrid device crossing between a laptop and a smartphone as they already have both? Jobs said the iPad is "so much more intimate than a laptop and so much more capable than a smartphone."
Jobs and his team hope to create an ultimate multimedia experience with iPad through browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more.
A newspaper reading program from The New York Times and the new iBooks store appears to be one of the main selling points of iPad.
Last week, The New York Times announced that it planned to demand payment for access to its website, which has been linked to the new Apple tablet by analysts.
It was announced at the Wednesday event that consumers could purchase e-books from large publishers in the iBooks store including Penguin, HaperCollins, Simon&Schuster, Macmillan and Hachette Book Group.
Apple is reported to have been amassing digital reading material for iPad since last year. Jobs and his team have sent representatives to the Frankfurt Book Fair last October and have been in talks with News Corp, The New York Times Co., Conde Nast Publications (publisher of 18 magazines), HarperCollins Publishers and television networks including CBS and Disney, according to reports last week from the Wall Street Journal which have always had the first-hand information on the Cupertino-based firm.
Meanwhile, the publishing industry have been holding the highest expectations to the iPad, hoping the innovative device could repackage their business model and usher in a digital future with more profits.
For example, The Financial Times is looking at a system of paying for selected articles, whose publisher Pearson, also a major textbooks producer, has expressed its high expectations to Apple's tablet.
However, trials are also waiting for the new device as the market of electronic reading has been shared by many such as Amazon's Kindle, Sony's Reader and Barney and Noble's Nook. Amazon and Sony were reported to upgrade their products this year.
Analysts pointed out that a low-end e-reader priced at 200 dollars could do a great job in e-reading and Apple needs to create a special reading experience to beat these inevitable rivals.
"Amazon has done a great job of pioneering this functionality with the Kindle," Jobs said. "We are going to stand on their shoulders."
PRICE TAG
Starting at 499 dollars, the price tag of iPad looks not to become a problem and polls showed that iPad has got a ready and waiting base before it is shipped to stores in March.
According to a survey on more than 3,300 U.S. consumers conducted by ChangeWave Research earlier this month, 4 percent of the people polled said they were "very likely" to buy an Apple tablet when it is available, while another 14 percent said they were "somewhat likely" to purchase the device.
Meanwhile, some 37 percent of consumers interested in the product said they would like to spend over 700 dollars, and 75 percent of those said they would pay 500 dollars or more.
There are six models with the basic starting at 499 dollars and the most expensive at 829 dollars. An estimated sale of 5 million units in the first year has been seen in several projections.
OTHER OBSTACLES
Although iPad is widely expected to shake up the industry, some analysts said some factors could make the device become an epic failure.
The virtual keyboard could be inconvenient to use as consumers have been complaining about the keyboard of
Apple gave the solution to this by creating an almost full-size soft keyboard and iPad can also connects to a keyboard dock with a full-size traditional keyboard. However, people have just seen what it looks like and then consumers have to play with it and then pass judgments. For another, if TV networks and media outlets are not willing (or too willing, resulting in high prices) to partner with Apple, the content could be a stunting factor for the success of iPad. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, the company has faced resistance from television companies and cable-network providers over its plan to license just their best content rather than all of it.
Besides, costs of 3G connectivity and the price of data could be another problem. It is unknown whether consumers are willing to pay for an additional tablet data plan besides their
So far, two data plans from AT&T in the U.S. were also announced with 14.99 dollars per month for 250 megabytes of data and 29.99 dollars for unlimited data usage.
2) Analysts say iPad is bit too pricey
2) Analysts say iPad is bit too pricey
Apple Inc's iPad tablet may take a year to turn into a "breakout" product with mass-market appeal as consumers wait for the price to drop below $499 and for more publishers to get on board, Piper Jaffray & Co said.
"It needs to be $300 to $400," said Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray in Minneapolis. "It's an amazing device, but investors should have measured enthusiasm about how long it takes for something like this to gain traction."
Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs introduced the iPad, pitching it as a "magical" new category of mobile devices between Apple's MacBook laptop and theiPhone . The iPad, with a 25-cm color touch screen, lets users play music, videos and games, check e-mail and surf the Web.
Apple will start selling three models in the US in March, priced between $499 and $699, that let users connect to the Internet over Wi-Fi networks. Three models that work with AT&T Inc's 3G wireless-phone network will go on sale in April for $629 to $829, with an additional $14.99 or $29.99 a month for a service plan.
Jobs also said the gadget will include software called iBooks for displaying electronic books, setting up a challenge to dedicated e-book readers from Sony Corp and Amazon.com Inc, which offers its Kindle starting at $259.
Munster said he expects Apple will sell 3 million to 4 million iPads in the first year. It may sell as many 8 million in 2011, which would add $4.6 billion to revenue, almost equivalent to Apple's current iPod business. Some of those gains will likely come at the expense of Apple's current 3.5-inchiPod Touch player.
Munster has recommended buying Apple stock since 2004, according to Bloomberg data. The shares have soared more than 12-fold in that period.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc's David Bailey predicts sales of as many as 6 million iPads this year, adding $3.9 billion in revenue and 99 cents a share in profit.
"Apple's announcement highlights what we think is the company's multi-year lead in mobile devices," Bailey said. "That said, we expect the near-term impact on the stock to be muted as investor sentiment had been bullish ahead of the event."
Apple already has signed agreements with five publishers, including Pearson Plc's Penguin and News Corp's HarperCollins, and intends to form alliances with others that will be able to sell their titles through the company's new iBookstore, Jobs said. Pricing for iBook titles hasn't yet been disclosed.
Source: China Daily
"It needs to be $300 to $400," said Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray in Minneapolis. "It's an amazing device, but investors should have measured enthusiasm about how long it takes for something like this to gain traction."
Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs introduced the iPad, pitching it as a "magical" new category of mobile devices between Apple's MacBook laptop and the
Apple will start selling three models in the US in March, priced between $499 and $699, that let users connect to the Internet over Wi-Fi networks. Three models that work with AT&T Inc's 3G wireless-phone network will go on sale in April for $629 to $829, with an additional $14.99 or $29.99 a month for a service plan.
Jobs also said the gadget will include software called iBooks for displaying electronic books, setting up a challenge to dedicated e-book readers from Sony Corp and Amazon.com Inc, which offers its Kindle starting at $259.
Munster said he expects Apple will sell 3 million to 4 million iPads in the first year. It may sell as many 8 million in 2011, which would add $4.6 billion to revenue, almost equivalent to Apple's current iPod business. Some of those gains will likely come at the expense of Apple's current 3.5-inch
Munster has recommended buying Apple stock since 2004, according to Bloomberg data. The shares have soared more than 12-fold in that period.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc's David Bailey predicts sales of as many as 6 million iPads this year, adding $3.9 billion in revenue and 99 cents a share in profit.
"Apple's announcement highlights what we think is the company's multi-year lead in mobile devices," Bailey said. "That said, we expect the near-term impact on the stock to be muted as investor sentiment had been bullish ahead of the event."
Apple already has signed agreements with five publishers, including Pearson Plc's Penguin and News Corp's HarperCollins, and intends to form alliances with others that will be able to sell their titles through the company's new iBookstore, Jobs said. Pricing for iBook titles hasn't yet been disclosed.
Source: China Daily
3) Reverse Psychology: Chinese Knock-Off Firm to Sue Apple Over iPad
BY Kit Eaton
You'll need to put your best thinking cap on before tackling this one: That Chinese firm responsible for the iPhone-clone-esque tablet PC, that predated the iPad by several months, is crazy angry at Apple for copying them. And may sue.
Read that again. Get it? Okay, I'll try again: A company unashamedly rips-off Apple's
The news has surfaced over at Shanghaiist again, where they even have a quote from apparently incensed president of the Shenzen Great Long Brother Industrial company, Wu Xiaolong: "I was very angry and flabbergasted when I saw the news of the iPad presentation two days ago... It is certainly our design. They've stolen because we present our P88 to everyone six months ago at the IFA [in Berlin]."
Erm, Wu? It's not your design, mate. Your P88 looks just like a bloody big
[Via Shanghaiist]
Chris Matyszczyk is an award-winning creative director who advises major corporations on content creation and marketing. He brings an irreverent, sarcastic, and sometimes ironic voice to the tech world. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET.
