Brit consumers shun the iPad - for now The iPad won't be mass market in the UK, according to a market research firm which took to the streets to see what British consumers think about Apple's tablet. Then comes its qualifier - "at least not yet". Researcher Simpson Carpenter teed up four qualitative groups with an iPad. Participants admired the iPad's "cool", but …
I would like one I must admit, mostly to display my photography work to potential clients, then as a nice web browsing and email device.
I see the point of the iPad (or as another Reg user amusingly called it the "iPod Chunky", I want one but I think its £150-£200 over what I perceive to be its value.
I did ponder that if Apple had made as much money from their app store as the figures show, they might subsidise the hardware a little more to get it into even more homes and increase that app revenue. Something thats not needed outside of the UK maybe?
So want one, but wont get one unless price really drops.
I must have missed those sales figures...
According to Apple they make a small amount of money from the App Store.
They make an awful lot of money selling the hardware that can use apps from the App Store though!
Apple make a reasonable percentage on apps that are for sale on the app store... this must pay for hosting and checking the app is not full of worms. However... they make no money from all the free apps available even though it costs them the same for hosting etc. And there are a lot more free apps downloaded than paid apps.
Android users just dont get it... What developer or large software company in their right minds is going to invest significant amounts of manpower in developing apps that can be pirated so easily?
And as for all those Flash Fanbois (god I hate that term) that think Flash can compete with app store apps such as N.O.V.A or The Sims for example you are living with your head up your ass.
Cant wait to see Flash Player 10.2 on a phone..... Ha!
Since if you pre-order one right now the ship date is June 7th rather than May 28th, that rather suggests the initial batch have sold out in 3 days and the idea that UK buyers are 'shunning' the iPad is no more accurate than the old 'bomber on the moon' headlines.
BTW, educational discount for an iPad (even for those of us 'privileged' enough to work in Higher Ed) is exactly 0%.
Jon
That's if you believe that the Jobsian bunker isn't trying it on again.
They could easily have done that just to give the impression it's more popular in Britain than it actually is.
Also, I see the point of the iPad, I understand its uses and what it can and can't do.
That's why I think it's worth no more than £250
Anyone who's prepared to pay more are doing so because they have fallen for the marketing myth that Apple owners are some how superior.
The iPad makes computation and the computer separable: couple an iPad with a VNC client and who the hell cares what your 'other' computer is, or even where it is. Effectively, you can bring that punch with you wherever you go, leaving the multi-tasking where it is and where it's likely/strictly necessary. And provide a touch screen to your box to operate it in ways you (likely) couldn't before.
Its just an expensive posers toy / lifestyle accessory / status symbol.
Its not a sensible peice of computing gear, and it certainly doesn` t solve any pressing usability issues.
"Style over substance" - isn`t that apple`s new tag line? , alongside "F**k Adobe, I am god", of course ;-)
Adobe should re-run those iconic 1984 adverts with a couple of tweaks (i.e. Jobs` face projected onto the big screen) .
I know Britain can be somewhat backward technology-wise but we're not that behind. To state tablet computing is new is complete waffle - we've had them as long as the Chinese have been making them and we know what they really offer - i.e. not a lot. The only users who would ever consider them useful (i.e. people who make lots of notes, journalists, etc) don't use them. Why? Because a paper notepad is such much easier and cheaper, less likely to fail, doesn't get too hot, unlikely to be stolen and doesn't run out of battery.
So what makes the iPad tablet so special? Er, nothing - it's a tablet - made by Apple - so therefore costs a lot of dosh - for not a lot else but it looks cool - woo!!
The days of yuppies hanging out with oversized mobile phones belong to the Virgin adverts. Anyone seen walking around London showing off his iPad is likely to just get laughed at these days.
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