Sam Oliver
Along with Hewlett-Packard and Dell, other "pure" PC makers like Acer and Asus plan to gradually exit the tablet market next year, industry sources told DigiTimes. The main reason is said to be that they cannot provide content like Apple, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
So far Apple's iPad has dominated the market, representing nearly all of tablets sold, and hooking in users with its vast App Store selection. But new devices from Amazon and Barnes & Noble aim to take the lower end of the market with prices less than half that of Apple's $499 iPad, and make up the difference through sales of content like books, music and movies.
With tablet hardware prices that low, companies like Dell and HP that don't sell content are unlikely to make a profit, as they can't sell the hardware at a loss like Amazon is rumored to be doing with its new Kindle Fire. Industry sources reportedly said they expect devices from Amazon and Barnes & Noble will eventually be offered for free, serving as content platforms for the companies.
And even with their low prices, sales of newly launched touchscreen tablets from Amazon and Barnes & Noble were not as high as Apple's iPad, which industry insiders see as an indication that "strong enthusiasm for tablet PCs has already disappeared."
If accurate, the news that traditional PC makers have lost interest in the tablet market could be bad news for Microsoft, as the company's forthcoming Windows 8 operating system will feature a tablet-friendly interface. The company unveiled its plans on a prototype device designed by Samsung in September.
HP already attempted to penetrate the tablet market with its own hardware, operating system and application ecosystem, much like Apple, but the webOS-powered TouchPad failed to gain any traction and was quickly discontinued by the company. A year earlier the company partnered with Microsoft to release the HP Slate, but that Windows-powered device also failed as Apple's iPad took over the tablet market.
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Christine McKee
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133 Comments
"strong enthusiasm for tablet PCs has already disappeared."
Let's get this right....
"Strong enthusiasm for tablets other than Apple's Ipad have already disappeared"
I for one, am very enthusiastic about the next ipad 3. Which will more than likely incorporate siri. That is the main reason i am waiting to buy an ipad!!
What I find most interesting in articles like this is when a device is mentioned that I've never heard of. This article led me to look up the 'HP Slate' which led me to the Microsoft...'KIN Phone'. I had to look it up. From what I read it appears you had to take it to the phone shop to transfer contacts from another phone...wow, great idea.
Anyway, this article is good news for Apple, but it's a shame that these other companies just can't get it right. The more products and choices on the market the better for consumers. But then again, out with the old and in with the new, perhaps some newer start ups might fill some of the gaps and replace a few dinosaurs.
Let's get this right....
"Strong enthusiasm for tablets other than Apple's Ipad have already disappeared"
I for one, am very enthusiastic about the next ipad 3. Which will more than likely incorporate siri. That is the main reason i am waiting to buy an ipad!!
That, and the retina display. Coming from a 1st gen iPad, I can't wait!
Wow! It's only the fastest growing segment of the computer market!
I'll say one thing, after enjoying my ipad2 for the last few months, I'll most likely, never buy another desktop. But, I'll definitely buy the ipad3 when it comes out! That, along with my ip4, (soon to be a 4s, which is soon to be iP5) and I'm good to go.
If there is a traditional pc in my future, I would probably choose an 11" MBA. Really, who wants to sit in front of a pc all day, anyway?
P.S. (Off topic) I'm looking to get a print app for my iPad...any suggestions? Thx.
Wow! It's only the fastest growing segment of computer market!
I'll say one thing, after enjoying my ipad2 for the last few months, I'll most likely, never buy another desktop. But, I'll definitely buy the ipad3 when it comes out! That, along with my ip4, (soon to be a 4s, which is soon to be iP5) and I'm good to go.
If there is a traditional pc in my future, I would probably choose an 11" MBA. Really, who wants to sit in front of a pc all day, anyway?
P.S. (Off topic) I'm looking to get a print app for my iPad...any suggestions? Thx.
That's exactly why people want a PC over an iPad. I love my iPad, but it's not a replacement for a computer. It's an ultra-portable accessory.