Prices or Impatience? To Which Are iPad Sales Most Sensitive?

[Michael Essany]

Now that the iPad has been unveiled, the next step is getting it into the hands of consumers. The price, however, required to make the iPad a ubiquitous presence has become a hot topic of debate. Just how much is too much for the iPad? And, conversely, how much is too little?

Reports have begun indicating that major questions about fair and proper pricing for the iPad have been raised inside the walls of Apple. And while there's no clear indication of how rapidly the introductory prices will fall (and how fast), consumers have grown savvy and rather wary of price bottoms following a major product release from Apple.

All signs indicate that a relatively robust reworking of prices could follow the initial public and response and first wave of sales. Remember the "outrage" directed toward Apple when a mega price-cut was bestowed upon the iPhone shortly after its release? Could a similar pattern now similarly befall the iPad? If you want clues to what some would say is an inevitable price cut for the iPad, look closely into the words of Mr. Steve Jobs himself in response to widespread criticisms born of the iPhone's $200 price reduction only a few months after the device went on sale.

Being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever.

iPad pricing aside, one major variable remains in play that is difficult to understand and appreciate at present. I'm referring, of course, to the impatience of many consumers (like myself) who simply can't wait until summer to get their iPad at a potentially lower price. If necessary, I will clothesline an elderly man if he stands between me and the iPad come late March. But am I among a dwindling minority who feel this impatient about jumping all over a new Apple product?

Would a lower price influence you to hold off on an iPad purchase for a few months, or if you're already bent on buying one, will you get in line as soon as the shipments hit stores?

[StealthBravo]

I will gladly pay the current price. I will be there on release day.

[jdm.accord]

I have an iPhone 3GS and a MBP 13", WTF do I need an iPad for?

If it weren't for the whole e-reader fascination right now, I'd say this was the second-coming of AppleTV. But since people are too fat and lazy to go buy books at the store (or go to a library......do people even know what libraries are anymore?), this will be a successful product.

[z3r01]

i definitely will clothesline ANYONE!!!!! lol

[Melech518]

I will gladly pay the current price. I will be there on release day.

I too will pay the current price. But I will be in my office sitting in my chair like smeagol on crack waiting for FedEx to deliver my fully loaded iPad

[reznor9]

If I knew them yes. But just speciation? No.
I too have an iPhone and MacBook 13'
I'll get my iPad on launch day.
As far as libraries. I haven't been to one in over 10 years. Since the Internet and computers took sharing information to a new level. What is the point? My iPhone is a digital library. I'm not lazy. I just utilize my time more efficiently.

[rockjohn]

ipad still sucks

[Webnasty]

I can't wait for the iPad. The end of March feels like an eternity away. I figure waiting in line at a store would still be quicker than waiting for FedEx to deliver it.

[jhmorri]

I have an iPhone 3GS and a MBP 13", WTF do I need an iPad for?

If it weren't for the whole e-reader fascination right now, I'd say this was the second-coming of AppleTV. But since people are too fat and lazy to go buy books at the store (or go to a library......do people even know what libraries are anymore?), this will be a successful product.

I've got about 50 books in my pocket right now. How many of those library books can you carry around with you?

[1shuttle1]

The price points for the ipads are a little misleading. Introducing a 16 gig version at $499 serves two purposes. Makes you believe they care enough to have that starting point so everyone can afford one but really just gives them an excuse to charge the price they really wanted to on the higher priced models. Not to mention get rid of the old stock of memory they bought. Who the hell buys only 16 gb. Not anyone from this website anyway. THERE IS NO REASON TO KEEP GOING BACKWARDS WITH MEMORY EVERY TIME A NEW DEVICE COMES OUT. If you have 32 and 64 gb ipod touches why would you start with 16 gb on the ipad. Bigger screen for watching movies and a model with only 16gb of memory. That's just asinine. Even the fanboys have to know that the low price model is a bullsh*t pricing ploy. So don't defend Apple on this one. Even the head of the NYT's called Steve Jobs out on that one.

[sziklassy]

I must say that I really am interested in seeing how this thing sells and how it effects sales of their ipod touch line. I personally see no use for this product as I already have a 3Gs. Might be cool for the medical field, and other similar applications, but we need the software to back that first. I can see great things in the future of this product, especially if they lift limitations like no backgrounding (ok so that is a BIG IF), but in its current iteration it seems too much like a large ipod to me.

I've got about 50 books in my pocket right now. How many of those library books can you carry around with you?

How many of those library books would I WANT to carry? I don't generally read fifty books at a time. The only case where I would be looking into more than one book is in the case of textbooks and perhaps research projects. I am not even sure we can really get digital versions of textbooks/research article and magazines yet anyway, mostly based on textbook publishers being greedy (another discussion).

[jdm.accord]

I've got about 50 books in my pocket right now. How many of those library books can you carry around with you?

This **** doesn't fit in your pocket. And I have a several bookshelves.

My point was that the iPad is a glorified e-reader which are popular right now. That's the only reason it will have any success. And I've yet to see anyone under 40 or under 200lbs carrying an eReader. Just my personal experience

Its funny that Apple has been making the iPods so much thinner/smaller and now they blow up an iPod Touch to this level. Regression.

[cpotoso]

Right now, at $500 the ipad is not in my purchase list. It has too many limitations and is too expensive to play the "jailbreak" game with (already did it with the iphone and itouch, I am now tired of fighting apple for the right of doing what *I* want with *MY* device).

[reggie6801]

I'm getting the 64 gig ipad and I've got a $300 apple gift card. So essentially I'm getting the 64 gig ipad for the price of a 16 gig.... I doubt apple will drop the 64 gig to $500 two months later... I'm getting mine in late march :-)

[edge777]

This **** doesn't fit in your pocket. And I have a several bookshelves.

My point was that the iPad is a glorified e-reader which are popular right now. That's the only reason it will have any success. And I've yet to see anyone under 40 or under 200lbs carrying an eReader. Just my personal experience

Its funny that Apple has been making the iPods so much thinner/smaller and now they blow up an iPod Touch to this level. Regression.

First off, I'm not 40, and well under 200, and so is my girlfriend. We both love eBooks and our Kindles. To be honest, I've yet to see an older person using one.

Is it a fad? Am I lazy? No, but then again I suspect you have shelves full of CD's and DVD's and have to carry a large case around for all your music. I have all my music on my iPhone, and my movies are digital.

Is the big screen a regression? No. There's a time when something is just too small to be really usable. I'll still have my iPhone so if I'm stuck in traffic, or waiting for a colleague, I can continue reading, browsing, playing games on my iPhone. Otherwise, if I'm at home snuggled in bed or on the couch, at my local Starbucks, or in a park, I'll have my iPad (or that matter, on short trips where I don't need my whole laptop).

We all get the fact that you're a bit old-school, or that this just doesn't fit your niche - that's okay, but it works for other people.

[mikerlx]

I am not interested in ebooks. I am buying the ipad to be first of my friends and close family to own it. I have 5 movie in my itunes to sync to it and I have about 90 apps to pick and choose to sync especially pacman and ferrari gt to play in full screen. Of course, I will enjoy going to my favorite desktop websites and book marking them. I am sure as the firmware updates happen it will be the next greatest device on the planet!

[GTOpilot]

If I knew for a fact that prices would drop $200 in June it might give me pause before buying one in March. Yet a $100 giftcard to offset the price slash (in June) would be enough for me to buy on release day.

[Bluprint]

I would be sorta embarrassed trying to hold this thing in public, it looks hella birdish. Next thing you know, kids going to be buying purses to carry this thing around, I'm good.

[Philbert]

I understand that the parts for the ipad only cost apple something like 47% of the end prices they're telling us. Which means there's a chance the price could drop at some point and they would still make a profit. I would be interested in an iPad only if A. this happens and B. it gets jailbroken. Even then I'm still not 100% into it. Until then I'm still watching the HP Slate very closely.

[awesomeSlayer]

At least I don't have to pay too much...