The latest research from Broadband Genie (http://www.broadbandgenie.co.uk) has shown that most UK consumers won’t dream of paying GBP400 for a iPad, despite the desirability of the UK’s number one new gadget. This will also be bad news for Samsung, whose Galaxy tablet is being released with similar price points in the run up to Christmas.
In a poll of more than 1,300 visitors to the broadband, mobile broadband and smartphone comparison site, more than 60% said the iPad was “definitely not” worth GBP400 or more. More than 200 more said it “wasn’t really” worth the price tag, putting the total thinking it was a poor value up to 80%.
“There’s a clear message here from British consumers — while they like the idea of a tablet, they aren’t willing to pay through the nose for one,” Broadband Genie editor Chris Marling says. “With ereaders, smartphones, netbooks and even laptops now available for a fraction of that price, it’s a tough ask for people to see the value in a tablet costing up to GBP700. And with cheaper tablet models already appearing, some running on the popular Android OS, its easy to see why. Over time, the tablet is likely become a standard gadget in the majority of UK households. Essentially right now they bring nothing new to the party, so are very much a luxury – especially in this price bracket.”
He says Broadband Genie — an independent broadband, mobile broadband and smartphone comparison web site — sees two likely scenarios. First, potential customers will wait to see how much mobile networks are willing to subsidize these top end tablets via 3G SIM contracts. Second, they will balance this against the quality of the cheaper models that are now arriving and make a decision accordingly.
