Anyone who sees the iPad in action, or gets their hands on one, seems to want one—but, when surveyed, over one-half of consumers (52%) say they don't need an iPad, and 38% say the new tablet is too expensive, according to research from Retrevo.
However, among consumers who own an iPhone, only 26% say they don't need an iPad. Similarly, Android phone owners are more enthusiastic about owning an iPad in the future.
Is Google a Threat to Apple?
E-readers are not a big threat to the iPad: 40% of consumers who own or plan to own an e-reader also plan to buy an iPad this year.
But price is an issue. Among consumers now interested in buying an iPad, 53% say they would buy an Android-based tablet if it is less expensive than the iPad.
One-third (33%) would opt for a Android-based tablet if it offers Verizon connectivity, while 28% would buy an Android-based tablet if it is discounted as part of a subscription service (like a cell phone contract).
Still, 16% say they would buy an iPad, regardless.
Sales of Apple's iPad broke the 2 million mark less than 60 days after its April 2010 launch, much faster than predicted by both the company and industry experts.
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Enthusiasm for Apple OS Continues to Grow
Apple's sleek multi-touch functionally delights iPad and iPhone users—as it does the developers who build applications for mobile devices: Over one-half of mobile developers surveyed consider multi-touch to be important or essential to application development, making a whole wealth of devices inadequate by this standard, according to separate research from iGR.
Meanwhile, 53% of surveyed developers say they now build applications for the Apple iPhone OS. The next most popular platforms are the RIM BlackBerry OS, Android, and Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5—a dramatic shift from a year earlier when Windows Mobile was the most popular OS.
Still, developers generally build for multiple platforms and are increasingly developing for more: On average, developers now build for 2.4 different platforms, and that number is expected to increase to 3.4 over the next 12 months.
"With each new feature and capability added to smartphone operating systems, competition in the space continues to heat up," said Matthew Vartabedian, research vice-president of iGR. "Providing a solid developer experience and the ability for developers to generate revenue and profits off of the platforms is a key aspect of that competition."
Apple's WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference), considered the most important annual event for anyone working with Apple technologies, begins on June 7, 2010 in San Francisco. Rumors are that Apple's Steve Jobs will take the conference stage and present the latest version of the iPhone.
About the data: The Retrevo Pulse Report is an ongoing study of people and electronics. For this study, Retrevo surveyed over 1,000 consumers (non-Retrevo users) distributed across gender, age, income, and location in the US in May 2010.
