Hewlett-Packard has little chance of selling its TouchPad tablet in New Zealand if it doesn’t do something about the price.
As Stuff.co.nz reports: “The 16-gigabyte wi-fi tablet sells in the US for $499. That is equivalent to about NZ$570, but the tablet will retail in New Zealand for $799.”
That’s the same price as Apple’s iPad.
Apple is the dominant tablet maker. It owns about 80% market share worldwide. There are a slew of competing tablets – mainly from companies using Google’s Android software.
I’ve tried both. I prefer Android to Apple’s iOS on mobile phones, but when it comes to tablets, Apple is streets ahead of the market.
To date none of the Android tablets have dented Apple’s business. It’s still difficult finding iPads in New Zealand’s shops.
Most of the Android tablets had prices similar to the iPad when launched, but are now selling for a roughly 30% discount to Apple’s tablet. What does this tell you?
HP’s TouchPad looks good. It’s webOS operating system – inherited from Palm Computing – has a great pedigree. But it’s something of an orphan.
Anyone buying a TouchPad is taking a huge risk. The kind of risk that normally commands a price discount.
There will be customers who have little choice buy to buy from HP, especially if their companies and IT departments are wedded to the brand. Hewlett-Packard may pick up their tablet business.
At these prices it won’t get much other custom.
If the TouchPad is going to be anything but a footnote in history, HP needs to get realistic on price.
Of course really savvy buyers who like the cut of HP’s tablet jib might want to wait a couple of months and pick one out of the remainder bins at that 30% discount.
Agreed. I think one of the best non-iPad tablets on the market now is the Acer Iconia. Performance, expandability (microSD, HDMI, 2x USB) and a decent price at under $600. I think any maker competing with the iPad needs to compete on price because iOS on iPad still offer the best user experience.
In New Zealand the Acer Iconia is at precisely the same price as the Apple iPad and HP TouchPad: NZ$800.
I agree it’s the best-looking non-iPads on the market. I hovered over it for about five minutes on my way to the Apple counter at Dick Smith. It would need to be at least 20% less than the iPad to get traction – in my view.