My iPad impression: Big risk for Apple
Today, the holy Steve Jobs came down to us once again to present to us his latest prophecy, the long awaited iPad. While the device looks slick as always, I see it as a tremendous risk for Apple unlike any of its other new products of recent years.
Usually, after Apple announces a new gadget, people are excited about the things they saw. But this time the vibes on the comment sections of large tech-sites feel totally different. People are disappointed because the iPad is a weak blend of iPhone and MacBook. It lacks connectivity and storage options big time (no card slots, no USB) and it is not usable as a phone unless using third-party VoIP applications. It brings along the tight restrictions from the iPhone (you can only buy apps and media via iTunes) while offering hardly any advantages of a notebook. Although I probably wouldn’t care, some complain about the absence of a camera and I figure that the comparably short battery life is an issue for people who’d like to use it as an e-reader.
So after all I see only two ways that could lead to a success of the iPad:
- The Apple factor: A large portion of people will buy it because it’s a beautiful gadget from Cuppertino and they will ignore the fact that they are forced to use a not-even-that-cheap device exactly the way Apple’s designers want them to.
- The iPad is received by consumers as a mobile high-end web and gaming platform.
I can imagine that sitting on a train or in a cafe and having the iPad to surf the web would be a far more comfortable experience than doing the same on an iPhone. But that’s basically the only area in which I see the iPad as a winner. Apple is great at establishing new products – the iPhone being the grandest example – but history shows us that even Apple can fail…and I see the chances of Apple failing with the iPad higher than with any other product in their portfolio.
