Will India benefit from reduced iPad 1 prices?
Leading tech publications have reported that Apple is offering a partial refund of $100 to all people who purchased an iPad in the last 15 days leading up to the launch of iPad 2. (ie. after Feb 16th). Following suit, AT&T has also reduced the price of the older generation iPad by $100.
I wonder if this has any implication for India, where the older generation iPad was launched last month, in a price range of Rs.30,000-Rs.35,000. Assuming that Apple would want to clear its inventory, I hope that they offer the lowered prices here also. A Rs.5000 or more discount would make the latest toy a hugely attractive purchase. Every time I visit an Apple store, or a Croma, I see some besotted teenager playing on the iPad until dragged away reluctantly by their parents. I am sure that a lower price would go a long way to make parents re-consider buying one for their offspring (In India, we claim that kids influence tech purchases hugely, but I suspect that sometimes we just make them an excuse to acquire gadget that we ourselves secretly fancy. And kids are smart enough to be well aware of this.)
As I have mentioned in the past, I believe that the tablet market will explode in India when the pricing approaches netbook levels (Rs.15-20,000) as in any case tablets will replace netbooks in the long run. Apple being Apple, can of course command a premium. But I would love to see a lower priced iPad. It might make me also re-consider and buy one!
I wonder if this has any implication for India, where the older generation iPad was launched last month, in a price range of Rs.30,000-Rs.35,000. Assuming that Apple would want to clear its inventory, I hope that they offer the lowered prices here also. A Rs.5000 or more discount would make the latest toy a hugely attractive purchase. Every time I visit an Apple store, or a Croma, I see some besotted teenager playing on the iPad until dragged away reluctantly by their parents. I am sure that a lower price would go a long way to make parents re-consider buying one for their offspring (In India, we claim that kids influence tech purchases hugely, but I suspect that sometimes we just make them an excuse to acquire gadget that we ourselves secretly fancy. And kids are smart enough to be well aware of this.)
As I have mentioned in the past, I believe that the tablet market will explode in India when the pricing approaches netbook levels (Rs.15-20,000) as in any case tablets will replace netbooks in the long run. Apple being Apple, can of course command a premium. But I would love to see a lower priced iPad. It might make me also re-consider and buy one!
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