By Zoe Galland | What demographic is going to buy the iPad? According to market research firm The NPD Group, awareness of the iPad is high among Apple owners, people who make over $100,000, and 18-34 year olds. Among all consumers, 18 percent expressed an interest in buying an iPad, compared to 27 percent of 18-34 year olds and 24 percent of Apple owners.
Even if Apple owners and young adults are the ones most interested in the iPad, the 18 percent figure is still formidable. Investors are anticipating high sales for the iPad; by Monday’s market close, Apple shares had increased to $232.39.
Apple began taking preorders for the iPad on March 12, but Apple announced on Sunday that some online orders will take longer to arrive than expected — orders placed after March 27 will be shipped out on April 12. Customers can buy iPads right away in Apple’s stores on Saturday.
It doesn’t appeal to me. I already have an iPhone, which is essentially the same thing as an iPad, but better in that it is more compact and includes a phone. The iPad is nothing more than an oversized, bloated iPod Touch.
If they really expect this to appeal to younger buyers, they’re really selling us short in terms of common sense. I figured they were trying to push this on the senior crowd, as the iPad is really an “iPod Touch, Large-Print Edition.”
I think this product should do very well with the older population segment. I mean what do most people use a PC for at home anyway? To surf the web. As such, I think it has potential I think it will be a more comfortable way for most people to surf the web.
I really don’t know what all the negativity is about. Yes, it doesn’t have a camera, other than video-conferencing, I don’t see a true need. I don’t think it would be very practical for taking pictures, kinda bulky for that app.
Or it’s nothing more than an oversize itouch, yup, which improves the web surfing experience with a bigger display, watching movies and reading books. So while not a mobile as a touch, it certainly has more practical application uses than something with such a tiny screen.
People who don’t see a niche for this just operate on a narrow bandwidth!
This article is slightly misleading in that those that have prepurchased their iPads prior to last Sunday will still get them on launch. Apple stated that any purchased after this past Sunday were being shipped out on April 12 due to demand. In fact, I know for a fact that some ipads have started shipping already to arrive on Saturday.
I think the iPad will take some time to get going. There will be an initial peak in sales, and then a ’slow burn’ – a bit like the iPhone. Reason for thinking this is having just written an App for the iPad I have realised it is not a giant iPhone, but something different. You need to think about the Apps differently.