With days to go before one of the largest tablet releases for 2011, there is speculation that Apple’s keen $499 price tag could be forcing some major notebook brands to hold over planned tablet releases until the iPad 2 dust settles.
The second-generation Apple tablet is due for release on March 11 and although pricing details have not been released worldwide, the device’s US$499 pricetag is being rumoured as spooking some major competitors.
Oneline news site digitimes.com is reporting sources from with notebook brands claiming that there are two or three major brands ready to postpone tablet releases because of Apple’s low price tag. No brand-names were given.
The report suggests that at $US499, Windows/Android tablet manufacturers cannot compete and would rather wait until the Apple hype dies down than to try and fight it out now.
Making matters more difficult is Apple’s decision to offload first-generation 16GB Wi-Fi iPads for as little as $399. In Australia, these are being sold at A$398 through Big W stores will stock lasts.
The iPad 2 will feature a new dual-core A5 processor, a thinner, lighter chassis as well as two cameras offering video chat via two iPads.
In the smartphone market, Apple is sitting in third position with news that main competitor Google with its Android operating system has taken top-spot for the first time with over 31% market share, ahead of Nokia and Apple.
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