iPad won’t be mass market in UK

: Photo: Apple

A market researcher postulates the Apple tablet will not be a mass market product in the UK. In other news, market researchers do more guesswork than most of us and 73 per cent of all stats are made up.

Niche customer base

Mike Stevens, Director of the Telecoms, Media and Technology team at Simpsons Carpenters, ran this research along four qualitative groups of typical iPad-wielding British consumers. The conclusion? The iPad UK sales will be made to a niche audience.

Justification

In Stevens’ defense, his justification was the iPhone ‘revolutionized an existing category that people understood’ whereas the iPad is trying to create a whole new category, which many people will (initially, at the least) fail to see how it fits into their lives.

It might be

: Photo: Apple

We don’t necessarily disagree with him, but rather that we think he’s taking a guess. Educated guess, perhaps, but a guess, no less. Prior to the Apple tablet launching, many market researchers and analysts guessed there wouldn’t be a market for the iPad, and after 1 million units sold 28 days later they are changing their tune. These same market researchers and analysts guessed the Apple tablet sold 700,000 weekend one, when, in fact, it sold under 400,000.

In this regard, it is Mike Stevens’ job to guess (sorry, research and conclude), and technology sites like our own to report on these gue… sorry, this research,

UK Rollout

In terms of hard facts, the iPad UK release, as well as some other countries worldwide, is scheduled for 28 May. Both the Wi-fi only and Wi-fi + 3G Apple tablet versions will be available on day one, with pricing ranging from £429 for the 16GB iPad Wi-fi all the way to £699 for the 64GB iPad Wi-fi + 3G.

Tags for this article: Apple iPad, apple iphone, Apple tablet, ipad, iPad release

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