When the iPad finally arrives in the UK later this spring, the one thing that will make or break its success with British consumers will be the perceived value of the applications on offer.
After all, this is an entirely new type of computing device for the vast majority of consumers, many of whom are both intrigued by the concept yet still asking the question: "But what will I actually do with it?"
The latest reports from the US suggest that the iPad's apps are going to be bigger in size and costlier than their iPhone counterparts.
Why people buy iPhones
"The reason why people buy an iPhone is because there are 140,000 apps and you can change your iPhone into anything you want," noted Gene Munster, a senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray.
According to Munster and other industry analysts, iPad apps are going to be more expensive – averaging around $4 (£2.50) per app instead of the average of $1.90 £1.20) for iPhone apps.
Travis Boatman, VP of game giant Electronic Arts, noted at the iPad launch that the experience was "a little bit like holding a hi-def television just inches from your face."
We all await to see what developers create for the iPad after the device hits the shelves this spring – and hope to be pleasantly surprised by the new books, games, work productivity apps, shopping apps and more which will no doubt arrive in a flurry through the spring and summer as developers hope for a new app gold rush.
Bob O'Donnell, VP of research firm IDG, expects about 3 to 4 million slate computers to be sold in 2010.
Via CNN.com
Your comments (7) Click to add a new comment
pollmak
February 2nd 2010
7. omebius - I have a netbook for my daily to and fro commute. I hardly ever type on the thing, I mostly read: auto scroll PDF and watch cbt's and films/TV series.
The Ipad wll be a great replacement. It will boot up faster that the netbook and I really like touching apps and the inet on my iphone screen.
If I need a computer I have my big a$$ overclocked i920 6GB beast at home.
The iPad makes the simple things i want like; inet, picures, video, email easily accessable and portable.
I'm not a apple fan, but I do like my iphone and I do want a ipad, which will replace my netbook.
I really do not see w7 tables being as simple to use as the iPad and that is going to be the iPad success.
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duskrider
February 2nd 2010
6. I didn't get it at first either, but then I realized that the only reason I put my iPhone down and go to my computer is because the screen is too small - pinch to zoom is great, but I don't want to do that page after page after page.
Enter the iPad... problem solved. I can see this being quite a nice, useful device to have kicking around. Apple has put the fun back into computing for me after 20+ years, and I think the iPad will continue the trend.
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omebius
February 2nd 2010
5. @Polmak - as for the jack of all trades comment at the end I think the problem a lot of people have is that it doesn't appear to be master of anything? Just what is it meant to-be great at?
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pollmak
February 2nd 2010
4. Apps that are scaled up for the iPad resolution may cost more, but all current iPhone apps that maintain the iphone resolution will share the same price for the app. (From what I have read, there is a magnifier that would be used to fill out iphone apps to the iPad resolution.)
It make sense that if a app needs to have more detail worked into it for the larger ipad resolution, then the cost of that app will be a little more.
Graphic rich applications like 3d games may cost a little more...and I think that is ok.
(but only a little more, ok!)
What I find fascinating is how a lot of techies are slating (lol pun) the iPad for all it's lacking. But slowly the users are talking about all the possibilities that the iPad will be delivering.
The ipad was never designed to be a jack of all trades device but a master of a few.
In a world where we are bombarded with information, sometimes less is more. If you can grasp that philosophy you will understand the iPad.
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hu_the_fox_hat
February 2nd 2010
3. ____lol "a little bit like holding a hi-def television just inches from your face."
and i remember my mother shouting at me for sitting too close to a standard definition tv set...looks like were all getting square eyes
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nitrofan
February 2nd 2010
2. The Fruits will pay anything for their gratification.
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rob_b
February 2nd 2010
1. "a little bit like holding a hi-def television just inches from your face."
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Calling the screen 'like HD' is a stretch considering it's resolution! I'm interested to see what apps they come up with, afterall you could just buy the iPhone version of an app for less & scale it up (?)
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