Ipad starting at $499
The lowest priced iPad is currently sold at around $499 in America and ¥48,960 in Japan and then goes up as harddisk space and other options are tacked on. If iPhone prices can come down to $97 at Walmart when the device used to be priced at a hefty $800, iPad could stand to shed some $ signs too.
Personally, I believe Apple is raking in the $$$ on their devices. Is that wrong? No. It’s their product and they should be able to label their products at whatever price they want. Fortunately, many around the world are able to purchase things like iPhones and iPads at competitive prices based on supply and demand. However, that isn’t quite the standard with Apple products, especially in Japan.
In Japan, there are many shops that sell iPhone. Yet, they all sell the device at the same price through Softbank. None are in really in competition with one another. Softbank has a monopoly on iDevices. At least in America, companies can buy and sell the devices at whatever price they can profit from. But from that point, users only get on option who they can purchase Internet and phone services through: AT&T.
Isn’t that a monopoly? No. iPhone is not a company, but a product. Apple can sell their product to whomever they wish. The fact that Google has now come out with a smartphone that may be able to compete with iPhone helps us consumers, but only slightly. Because while their product is smart, it really cannot compete with iPhone, especially the latest iPhone 4 that is an amazing jump forward in design, technology and function.
If consumers can hold their horses and wait, Apple and their resellers will eventually bring iPad and iPhone 4 prices down to current iPhone prices. But there the problem lies. Getting people to wait is so difficult when purchasing and reviewing products is such big business.
If you are a consumer, not a businessman looking to capitalize on reviewing the iPad or any future iGeneration product, you will do well to hold out and force Apple to drop their prices based on low demand. Just wait a few months and don’t purchase! Prices will most likely drop a few hundred $$. If any competitor comes along like Google or Microsoft and drops another competitive device on the market, look for prices to drop even further!
iPhone 4 is due to come out in a few weeks, June 24th. If the device is priced at around $200, go get one! That is dirt cheap! However, if it is being sold at $800 or thereabouts, it’s way too overpriced…even with the technology involved. Apple can price these devices much lower and still rake in profit based on how much they have sold previous devices and marketed them!
Can you wait?
KByte