Apple unveiled its much-touted and wildly anticipated tablet-style computer, iPad, only to find itself in for a rude awakening. First, Apple's iPad has received a chilly reception in the US market for failing to live up to the market's high expectations. Secondly, trademark battles are looming large over the new iPad. CNN and the Financial Times (FT) quoted IT gurus as saying that whether Apple's iPad would fire up technical innovations and content consumption remains uncertain. Gene Munster, an analyst of IT market research firm Piper Jaffray, predicted Apple iPad sales would reach around 3.5 million this year.
Taking into consideration the fact that the market for netbooks sold 33.3 million netbooks last year alone, the predicted sales of Apple's iPad would make up as much as 10 percent of the total, this year. However, compared to the report cards of Apple's previous iconic products, the sales forecast for the iPad is nothing, but gloomy. 3.6 million Mac PCs and 20 million iPods were sold in the fourth quarter of last year. Apple sold 1.3 million iPhones in the first week of its launch. IT experts at the NPD Group (a leading North American market research company) pointed out, "Apple's iPad has drawn much attention to its slimness, small design, and not to mention its lower-than-expected price. However, it will not be Apple's next champion in terms of innovation." Some said that Apple's iPad would be no match for netbooks.
Overall, Apple's iPad is deemed not to be as intelligent as netbooks. Jeff Orr, a senior analyst for ABI Research, said, "Apple's iPad is an excellent media player, but even the simple task of sending an email is troublesome. Its virtual keyboard makes web browsing tricky." He continued, "In addition, it doesn't have a camera function, making content creation impossible." Another analyst said, "Multi-tasking is not allowed on Apple's iPad, so it is not suitable for business purposes."
Apple's iPad is predicted to have a marginal impact on the eBook reader market. The cheapest iPad model, with Wi-Fi connectivity, costs US$499, which can affect the sales of Amazon's Kindle DX, retailing for US$489, and Barnes & Noble Nook, an electronic book reader. However, some refute, "As more companies come up with a wide array of eBook readers, prices are going down. So, Apple's iPad would not make much difference in the market.
Forrester Research analyst James M. said, "Those who buy eBooks want the most optimized eBook reader. I presume Apple's iPad would not serve as a game changer in the e-reader market." On a brighter note, IT experts agreed that as Apple's iPhone takes credit for the smartphone market boom, its iPad can help the eBook market grow big. They also predicted trademark disputes over the name of iPad. Japanese electronics company Fujitsu has been producing a handheld computer called " iPad" -which shop clerks use to check inventory. STMicroelectronics, Europe's largest chipmaker, trademarked the name "IPAD" for its proprietary semiconductor technology in 2000. An American company, called Mag-Tek, has already registered "IPAD" for its line of PIN-entry keypads. German conglomerate Siemens also uses the name for its engines and motors. Furthermore, a Canadian lingerie company has the right to market iPad padded bras. The outcome of the trademark battles can change the name of Apple's tablet PC.
