Andrew Eisner asked:




According to a Gadgetology study, Apple had an uphill battle to win over existing PC users with the iPad price.

Making the iPhone more than just another Mac product and attracting non-Mac buyers, Apple turned in record sales numbers preceding the iPad announcement.

The study indicated that Apple had to put a rush on capturing a slice of the netbook market, because many consumers, both Mac and PC owners, had already bought a netbook or were planning on buying one.

In the Gadgetology study, a survey of online users conducted by an independent panel, these interesting insights into the Apple tablet were provided:

Before the official announcement, Apple had an easier time convincing Mac owners, because the price was rumored at $800. In the study, 68% of Mac owners said they would have paid more than $600 for a tablet. PC owners didn’t seem to have the same pain threshold as Mac owners, with only 36% of PC owners willing to pay more than $600.

Apple added the iBook store in iTunes and entered the e-Book market, putting the tablet up against Amazon’s Kindle.

At least for now, the iPad only dips into 6% of the portable PC market, but if netbooks don’t get creative, the iPad will continue to eat up netbook share. The iPad may also have to compete with small, thin laptops that are priced under $600, like the Lenovo G450.

The Gadgetology study indicated that 37% of Mac owners and 59% of iPhone owners already owned or had planned to buy a netbook in 2009.

To convert PC owners to Apple owners, Apple needed to consider a $600 price point for the tablet. It’s a good thing they introduced the iPad at $499. Like the iPhone, the iPad has a GPS, so Garmin had better watch their back.

Valerie