Book Publishers Offer Details on Apple's Tablet Plans?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/25/book-publishers-offer-details-on-apples-tablet-plans/)

9 to 5 Mac summarizes (http://www.9to5mac.com/book-publishers-talk-tablet-34566345) information it has received from contacts in the publishing industry in recent days, revealing that Apple has been pushing aggressively forward in discussions with publishers about bringing their content to Apple's tablet rumored for introduction on Wednesday.

According to the reports, Apple has been touting the tablet's software as a "game changer" for the e-reader market and positioning its distribution model in contrast to Amazon's Kindle by offering publishers greater control over content and pricing. Other tidbits include:

- Apple is expected to have general agreements with major publishers in place by Wednesday, allowing it to tout the partnerships while still leaving "nuts and bolts" details of the arrangements to further negotiations.

- Scrollmotion (http://scrollmotion.com/) and other companies serving as middle-men to bring e-books to the iPhone are being cut out of the tablet, with Apple preferring to work directly with the publishers.

- A large library of e-book content for the tablet is not expected until "mid-2010 at the very earliest", although Apple will likely have something to show at the media event.

- Publishers have not been provided access to any tablet prototypes, although the device has reportedly been described to them as having a 10-inch glass screen and smaller than but roughly equal in weight to Amazon's Kindle DX.

- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point.

Article Link: Book Publishers Offer Details on Apple's Tablet Plans? (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/25/book-publishers-offer-details-on-apples-tablet-plans/)

[Burnsey]

It sounds like an excellent textbook machine.

[GeekLawyer]

That last point is almost hope-inducing. Less than $1000 would be welcome news.

[Eidorian]

I thought eReaders were expensive...

[Dwalls90]

So we can safely assume that given Apple has been rumored to release 2 different products, one of them will be an E-Reader only? I don't see Apple devoting all of these years to "just" an E-reader, so I'm wondering if it will be one device that 'does it all' or there will be another tablet with more functionality to come in the near future.

[sharp65]

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If it's priced somewhere near the kindle/nook I'll seriously consider it.

[newkidonthebloc]

"not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark "

Does that mean $500 or $1500?? :confused:

[Twenty5]

"- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point."

So...... less? or more than that? :confused:

[SirHaakon]

If it's $500, you can pretty much count on it being nothing more than a "bigger iPhone."

[acearchie]

But is it priced more or less!

Seriously hoping for less and Ill be at the Apple store with my wallet open unless of course its a $500 = £500 scenario!

[robfromabove]

If it's nowhere near that, it would make sense. Unless Apple plans to EOL the MB, then it wouldn't make much sense to offer two competing products.

Alas, if true it's slightly depressing. The cheaper it is, the less technology + features it will offer. I'm guessing it will come with a 32GB SSD and be fairly lacking in tech that all of the patents have been hinting at.

[ozarkchoir]

was very interesting....

I enjoy the b&w to color television analogy.

And the "nowhere near $1000" statement sounds good to me!

Now here's to hoping it still has a great input method... digital notebook....:)

[Arcadie]

A little birdie told me the price will be $299
Wether this is subsidized or not, i don't know

[psingh01]

I will lol if the event comes and goes and all Apple shows are new notebooks :D

[huntercr]

"not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark "

Does that mean $500 or $1500?? :confused:

It means the former. It has always been my opinion that Apple purposefully leaked a $1K price tag so that people will be "shocked" at how cheap it is when it comes in around $500-600

[boyplunder]

I seem to remember that Steve Jobs told analysts a few quarters ago, that one way forward was to offset costs in a radical way to forge new markets. Maybe the new tablet is sold at near cost to reap huge profit on the content. This would certainly work if you look at the AppStore success.

[Rot'nApple]

Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point.


More?!... Less?!... WHAT??? :confused:

Should of read other posts and been one less post of wondering what was meant by "not priced anywhere near the $1000 mark"... talk about your "hidden message" sentence structure, sure seems to have led to more wondering then not...

[chuckiej]

It means the former. It has always been my opinion that Apple purposefully leaked a $1K price tag so that people will be "shocked" at how cheap it is when it comes in around $500-600

I agree hunter. They could subsidize it based on *expected* sales of media, couldn't they? Say Apple expects us to subscribe to two magazines and buy 10 books (on average) so they decrease the price by that much?

[AtHomeBoy_2000]

I'd imagine that Apple with have a whole library of public domain books available at launch.

[sths-gr]

Hoping for the same scenario $500 = £500 = €500

[iscripter]

But is it priced more or less!

Seriously hoping for less and Ill be at the Apple store with my wallet open unless of course its a $500 = £500 scenario!

You can pretty much count on the new tablet being around $500 US price point. Pretty much all of their new non computer gadgets have started at the $500 price point. When the original 5Gb iPod came out it was $500 and when the origainal iPhone came out it was $500. The only thing that was not $500 when it first came out was the AppleTV and iPod Touch.

And the Kindle DX is currently priced at $489 with the Nook priced at $259. So it's safe to say the price is going to be around $500. But I would be curious to see if they are going to subsidize the price with a cell phone data plan.

[iphone529]

At $500 this is still to expensive, it needs to be at $299.

[sishaw]

That last point is almost hope-inducing. Less than $1000 would be welcome news.

"Not anywhere near" $1,000 can mean 2 things: quite lower, or quite higher!

I hope it's the former!

[macmike47]

maybe there'll be a model without any added extras for education (think $3-400). Any more than that, and Apple will have a job attracting major adoption from the education sector.

Then there can be another one at $800-$1000 for us geeks :)

[rjlawrencejr]

I am in agreement with the idea the iPad, iSlate etc will be priced well below $1000 certainly makes it that much more appealing. It also makes sense that its price would have to be lower if Apple truly thinks they can push 10 million units. I don't think that will be possible if the price is more the $700-$800 (personally I'm hoping for something like $599 or less).

[yetanotherdave]

Here's hoping they offer self book publishing, like how anyone can upload an app to the app store, and it's fairly easy to put a CD on the itunes store.

[SteveSparks]

I think the price will be $100 more that the 64gb iPod touch.

[griz]

"- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point."

So...... less? or more than that? :confused:

Funny how it appears that it could go either way.

I'm banking on below $1000. Unlike traditional Macs, these will be subsidized. Not by the 3G coverage, but by the fact that Apple knows they will generate a ton of revenue on the Apps for years to come. The infrastructure is built and tested. Now, it's all about delivery of those apps. And everyone is profit.
Having devices out there that are revenue generators even after the sale is completed is a huge boon to the bottom line. It also fills the holes during slower hardware sales times and takes some volatility out of Apple revenues.

[kingtj]

That's the lowest price estimate I've seen, yet, for the tablet.
But I could definitely see that as a possible "subsidized price" if you commit to a 2 year data plan for it with Verizon or AT&T. (A Motorola Droid phone's retail price is $599 before any contract, for example - yet you can buy it for $199 with a 2 year contract.)

A little birdie told me the price will be $299
Wether this is subsidized or not, i don't know

[Mattie Num Nums]

Does this give any insight to the actual "what the hell is this" question. Is the Apple Tablet a fancy E-Reader?

[arkitect]

Hoping for the same scenario $500 = £500 = €500
:eek::confused:
You're hoping for that?
Right now USD500 = £308 or €353
Why would you wish it to be = £500 or €500?

Makes no sense.
;)

[thecartoonguy]

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If it's priced somewhere near the kindle/nook I'll seriously consider it.

+1 I really enjoyed having my Kindle until the required reading for my classes changed. Not the Kindle's fault but it would be nice to have a iPod touch/ebook reader where I can get my text books in a larger screen size.

[sths-gr]

Here's hoping they offer self book publishing, like how anyone can upload an app to the app store, and it's fairly easy to put a CD on the itunes store.


It would be great if they would do this!

[drewyboy]

At $500 this is still to expensive, it needs to be at $299.

Oh ya, no problem, a 10" touch screen computer for only $300. Sorry for the sarcasm, but seriously, maybe subsidized. $500 would be a good price point for the general idea of what it will have for features. Honestly, would be ok with costing more, with the rumored features.

[Vinom]

"not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark "

Does that mean $500 or $1500?? :confused:

I heard from a friend in the apple channels that it will be $500 unsubsidized.

[Lyetz]

I sure hope that this tablet isn't going to be just an ebook reader. Yes, that would be a great idea, and I'd most definitely use it, but I'm also hoping for a brand new iPhone-type device with apps, games, etc - Especially if they've been working on this for such a long time.

[enberg]

So it won't have a LED screen then if it's a serious Kindle competitor.

[Chintan100]

"not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark "

Does that mean $500 or $1500?? :confused:

haha... My thoughts exactly... :D

But it will surely be on the lower side, dont worry... 700-800$ is my guess.

[tommylotto]

So, it does not look like this will replace my MacBook. I'm I going to be expected to carry around a MacBook, an iPhone and an iSlate wherever I go?

[Maleficent]

Does this give any insight to the actual "what the hell is this" question. Is the Apple Tablet a fancy E-Reader?

Certainly sounds like it, doesn't it?

Not sure what to make of it. Hopefully all will be revealed on Wednesday. Just to end these rumours!

[redgaz26]

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I reckon £499 in the uk.
Anymore I may miss out on this fantastic tablet.
This year it's either the tablet or the new iPhone and seen I have the 3gs I'd prefer the tablet. I'm sure there's loads of us thinking the same.

[Rot'nApple]

Oh ya, no problem, a 10" touch screen computer for only $300. Sorry for the sarcasm, but seriously, maybe subsidized. $500 would be a good price point for the general idea of what it will have for features. Honestly, would be ok with costing more, with the rumored features.

People, we need to settle on a price point or two...

Steve is waiting to finish that one last slide in his Apple's Keynote software for his presentation on Wednesday!... :D

[SteveSparks]

If it's $500, you can pretty much count on it being nothing more than a "bigger iPhone."

10 screen
more memory/storage
faster CPU
iWork
iLife
keyboard mouse options


Worth $599 to me

[vincebio]

A little birdie told me the price will be $299
Wether this is subsidized or not, i don't know

yes we all believe you

[RQPS]

I heard Safari runs real snappy on it

[Friscohoya]

The app store's ability to potentially help subsidize the device may be the killer feature. If this thing packs big tech for $500 then no other company will be able to touch it.

I also hope it comes with a rubberized back for added durability and a slip free surface when placed on a table top or airplane tray.

[spazzcat]

Figured for this to be a game changer it would have to be around $300-400...

[*LTD*]

But will it run Crysis?

[sths-gr]

:eek::confused:
You're hoping for that?
Right now USD500 = £308 or €353
Why would you wish it to be = £500 or €500?

Makes no sense.
;)


In my country $500 = €500 for :apple: products most of the times, so if it's $500 for the tablet that works for me.. if it's €353 even better

[iOrlando]

they will have 2 versions with different storage.

the thing that makes most sense is $799 and $899.
cant go to $999, that is the macbook.

[TimTheEnchanter]

IMO....

MacTablet = $499
7-8" screen, iPhone on steroids

MacTablet Pro = $999
10-11" screen, closer to a MB in power with far more capabilities than smaller version

Both will be subsidized with either data plan or possible 2-year subscription to an Apple ebook/emagazine service (like Audible but for print)

(I'm just guessing at this point, we'll see on Wednesday) :cool:

[LagunaSol]

At $500 this is still to expensive, it needs to be at $299.

:rolleyes:

[frozen]

That's the lowest price estimate I've seen, yet, for the tablet.
But I could definitely see that as a possible "subsidized price" if you commit to a 2 year data plan for it with Verizon or AT&T. (A Motorola Droid phone's retail price is $599 before any contract, for example - yet you can buy it for $199 with a 2 year contract.)

I agree. I can not see why it would not be subsidized and locked. It is difficult to imagine the tablet being both more advanced than an Iphone and less expensive than an Iphone.

[eyephone]

I was hoping for a great, lightweight battery-life-toting, thin note taking device with ilife and iwork capabilities.

I would easily pay over the 1000 dollar mark for the "Right" tablet product.

I spent 1600 bucks on a Motion LE1700 last year, that is a great product, but only touches on a few of the things that I would like.

-Le1700 slate tablet is too thick and heavy to be carried like a pad or notebook
-Windows 7 handwriting recognition is great, but the over all implementation of tablet and stylus friendly aspects within the OS is not great.
-Standard battery life gives me about 1 hour and ten minutes until automatic hibernation, which keeps me constantly monitoring screen brightness and time.
-ULV single core (battery saving) processors mean note taking and internet only.
-Large file transfers and actual production on these machines is menacing.

If apple gets it right, they have my funds for pretty much any amount.

I have a feeling that this thing will not have a stylus, as this seems like a dated input device idea, but I would be looking to replace my LE1700 and my actual note pad with this device. I think we can all agree that an on screen-touch screen keyboard is not going to suffice for fast and complete note taking, sketching, etc.

[ThunderSkunk]

I say it'll be free.

I mean, why not, since we're all pulling numbers out of our butts.

Nobody even knows what this thing will do or what hardware it'll do it with, and you goofballs are already hanging a price tag on it?

It's all been nothing but rumors thus far. The wed even could very well be completely tablet-unrelated.

[ryanvalle]

Considering the iPhone, without a contract, costs around $500-600, then this unit can easily fall in a price higher than that, but probably lower than the $1000 price point.

However, the truth is this, with rumors being only the deciding factor on these pricing estimates, its tough to say the true value of these items. If it ends up being a new kind of e-reader, better not be priced more than $300. If it is an iphone with a larger screen, better not cost more than $500-600. However, say it's a dynamic device which can connect to a computer and through software apps, work as various other equipments (i.e.: a keyboard, multitouch trackpad for a desktop or for creative users, become a drawing tablet or interface system that works with pro apps) while carrying the basic functions of a free standing e-reader and large screen iphone, then i'd pay upwards of $1000 for it.

IN short, too early to say what we would want to pay for the device considering we know so little about it or even have an official confirmatino that it will be announced on wednesday...

[optophobia]

You can pretty much count on the new tablet being around $500 US price point. Pretty much all of their new non computer gadgets have started at the $500 price point. When the original 5Gb iPod came out it was $500 and when the origainal iPhone came out it was $500. The only thing that was not $500 when it first came out was the AppleTV and iPod Touch.

And the Kindle DX is currently priced at $489 with the Nook priced at $259. So it's safe to say the price is going to be around $500. But I would be curious to see if they are going to subsidize the price with a cell phone data plan.

It was actually $600, not $500. $100 was given back 4 months later, but the original price was $600

[marksandvig]

If it's $500, you can pretty much count on it being nothing more than a "bigger iPhone."

Not necessarily. Apple may be relying on the sale of books to help their profit margins. Much like Sony loses money on the PS3 hardware in hopes of profiting on software. I'm not saying it will be as drastic as that situation. But could be similar.

[Compile 'em all]

IMO....

MacTablet = $499
7-8" screen, iPhone on steroids

MacTablet Pro = $999
10-11" screen, closer to a MB in power with far more capabilities than smaller version

Both will be subsidized with either data plan or possible 2-year subscription to an Apple ebook/emagazine service (like Audible but for print)

(I'm just guessing at this point, we'll see on Wednesday) :cool:

There won't be a "pro".

[Friscohoya]

I say it'll be free.

I mean, why not, since we're all pulling numbers out of our butts.

Nobody even knows what this thing will do or what hardware it'll do it with, and you goofballs are already hanging a price tag on it?

It's all been nothing but rumors thus far. The wed even could very well be completely tablet-unrelated.

Boooooo! Go back to the moon! This is a RUMOR site. Of course all of our conjecture is based on rumors. The Macfacts.com site will be launched on Wednesday afternoon.

[BornAgainMac]

Nowhere near $1,000.

$1,799 Base model, 64 GB, 6 inch screen
$2,199 Professional model, 128 GB, 10 inch screen
$2,899 Ultimate model, 512 GB, 10 inch screen, faster graphics

(Numbers pulled out from butt)

[Cougarcat]

they will have 2 versions with different storage.

the thing that makes most sense is $799 and $899.
cant go to $999, that is the macbook.

I can't see it being $899 either, because that's the EDU MacBook, and it looks like Apple will be targeting students with this.

[Rootman]

Xbox is sold for less than it costs to make. Apple could go that way.

[skate71290]

omg please let this be Penguin Publishers and many of my University Books save me carrying them home and what not :)

[cmaier]

The "weight" tidbit is the most interesting to me.

[redgaz26]

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Xbox is sold for less than it costs to make. Apple could go that way.

The same way as Microsoft ?? I don't think so. Apple likes there profit margins!!!

[MoreMaypo]

I'm guessing it's primarily a touchscreen calculator device.

[acslater017]

If it's $500, you can pretty much count on it being nothing more than a "bigger iPhone."

Yea, I'm very curious about the pricing myself. Looking at their recent/current lineup, the cheapest unsubsidized mobile devices were iPhones, and even they were in the mid-high hundreds.

I wonder how they can produce a cool, desirable device such as the Tablet at decent prices and still maintain those nice Apple profit margins. Perhaps the print industry will subsidize the cost of the device, much as at&t and other phone carriers subsidize the iPhone?

Apple would be able to sell high-quality products at more affordable prices, publishers would increase their sales and reduce distribution costs, and customers would have a more convenient, cheaper way of getting their "print" content!

[limesmoothie]

:eek::confused:
You're hoping for that?
Right now USD500 = £308 or €353
Why would you wish it to be = £500 or €500?

Makes no sense.
;)

We also have a sales tax (VAT) in the UK, which will add another 17.5% to that, so would ideally be a mere £361.

I would buy one in a heartbeat if it was that cheap. No chance. The SIM free iPhone 3GS 16gb is £440, so I can't see it coming in anywhere under £500. I'd be very very happy to be wrong though.....:D

[BRLawyer]

I thought eReaders were expensive...

It's expensive for an ebook reader...I am hoping it's not only that, of course. :rolleyes:

Another possibility: to have 2 models, one cheaper and another closer or even above the 1,000 mark (my preference considering potential capabilities).

I do NOT want a bigger iPhone...please, Apple.

[Bregalad]

If it's $499 and does little more than function as big iPod touch and eReader there'll be one headed my way soon.

I can see how others would buy at $799 if the tablet is a serious "getting things done" tool, but my current lifestyle simply does not require or permit much work on the go. When I'm within range of a friendly WiFi signal I usually have access to a Mac so I won't be able to justify paying that much.

[NT1440]

Regarding price, and I know this sounds ridiculous, but given jobs's remarks perhaps this thing will actually be affordable. I know Apple does ridiculously high margins, but perhaps if this will be as monumental as jobs appears to think they just want to set off a paradigm shift and flood the market with them to set the new standard of how we interact with computers. I know if anyone can do such a thing, its apple, seeing as they've literally changed the world 3 times already.

Just some food for thought.

[Alvi]

- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point.
That sounds like great news, i just hope it's not just an e-Reader

[talkingnewmedia]

There are going to be a lot of people disappointed Wednesday. Not because they don't like the new tablet but because they won't be able to speculate about it any longer.

Concerning the media world: half will have to stop writing about the damn thing and go back to what they were doing before the rumors got hot: writing about Tiger Woods. The other half have never heard of Apple or tablets and have continued to write about Tiger Woods.

I, on the other hand, get to keep writing about it because the real excitement will be when inventive publishers actually start designing their products for the tablet. My hope is that Jobs will be able to demo a magazine or newspaper on Wednesday -- one that doesn't look like it could be read on a Kindle -- lots of embedded video, motion, and sound.

[bzz]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Foremski/?p=1077

[Eidorian]

It's expensive for an ebook reader...I am hoping it's not only that, of course. :rolleyes:

Another possibility: to have 2 models, one cheaper and another closer or even above the 1,000 mark (my preference considering potential capabilities).

I do NOT want a bigger iPhone...please, Apple.Well my world just got mixed up. I've pretty much sealed a deal to sell my Macbook and I'm now dipping into being an iPhone developer for an old job of mine. :rolleyes:

[acslater017]

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The same way as Microsoft ?? I don't think so. Apple likes there profit margins!!!

Apple already sells the iPhone at a "loss" compared to manufacturing cost, because at&t and other carriers subsidize the cost and give them a slice of those juicy data plans. Also, App Store developers give Apple 30% of their revenue.

I could see the Tablet taking the same path. iTunes adds a "Books & Magazines" section, thus giving publishers access to 100 million credit card-bearing customers. In exchange, publishers give Apple a 30% slice of all content sold to customers and might also subsidize the manufacturing cost of the hardware itself.

I love reading, but I'll admit that I'm too lazy to go through the hassle of subscribing/unsubscribing to magazines, recycling/storing them, going to the bookstore, etc. A more convenient format and purchasing method would be right up my alley.

[arkitect]

I would buy one in a heartbeat if it was that cheap.
Same here.
Although I'd probably buy it even if it was closer to £750… :o

[SirHaakon]

That sounds like great news, i just hope it's not just an e-Reader
You can't have it both ways...

[boncellis]

Poor Scrollmotion. Which, for some reason, I always misread as 'Scrotum-motion.'

[BRLawyer]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Foremski/?p=1077

Total BS. :rolleyes:

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

This isn't so difficult to figure out. If Apple is truly telling potential content providers that the price is "nowhere near the rumored $1,000 price point," then we ask ourselves a simple question: "Would Apple tell potential content providers something they wanted to hear?" Yes, they would. More units sold (lower price) is good news. Less units sold (higher price) is bad news. So if this rumor is true—if Apple is truly saying this—then their tablet product will be 'nowhere near $1,000' on the lower-price scale.

P.S. Comments like "It better not be more than $299! That would be a rip-off!"
Save it until the product is announced. And get a job.

[Peace]

Well my world just got mixed up. I've pretty much sealed a deal to sell my Macbook and I'm now dipping into being an iPhone developer for an old job of mine. :rolleyes:


WHAT????

One of the last bastions of that world is succumbing to the RDF?? :eek:

The force is strong in this rumor.

[BRLawyer]

Well my world just got mixed up. I've pretty much sealed a deal to sell my Macbook and I'm now dipping into being an iPhone developer for an old job of mine. :rolleyes:

Sounds like a legitimate self-interested and business-oriented change of mind to me...no problem. But I still hope it's something more than just a big iPhone. :rolleyes:

[Alvi]

Wow, this will probably hit the "expansive netbook" prices, this is amazing news! i hope it will be some sort of "light macbook"

[limesmoothie]

There are going to be a lot of people disappointed Wednesday. Not because they don't like the new tablet but because they won't be able to speculate about it any longer.


You do know this site is called mac rumors, yes? ;)

I agree, the level of hype is totally out of hand even here in the UK. The gap between expectation and reality may be way too much for the Blessed Steve of Cupertino to match, whatever he pulls out of that brown envelope. Especially if its priced like a MacBook Air.

[mrgreen4242]

Hmmm.. a 7" OLED device with 3GS "guts" (in terms of CPU, GPU, and RAM), 32gb SSD, a new and improved version OS X mobile for $399 and I'll almost certainly bite... let me tether a keyboard, give me iWork, and it's a promise! I'd love to basically have a netbook version of my iPod touch. I would replace my Dell mini with that, and my first gen touch with a shuffle. :)

[Ropie]

I'm hoping for a glorified etch-a-sketch. The unique input method will be push-button delete with no need to shake it.

[BRLawyer]

WHAT????

One of the last bastions of that world is succumbing to the RDF?? :eek:

The force is strong in this rumor.

Eidorian is a whiner but still a Mac user...right? So he has ALREADY succumbed to the RDF. :cool:

[AppleZwei]

But will it run Crysis?

Yes, and Fermiville.

[nickXedge]

<snip>
- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point.

Hahaha, yeah. It's going to be Macbook Air priced... closer to $2,000. Ah I'm just kidding. It would be really nice it if was priced considerably lower than $1,000 though. Certainly sell many more units under that condition.

[limesmoothie]

Same here.
Although I'd probably buy it even if it was closer to £750… :o

I was doing some maths yesterday, figuring out the max it would have to cost before I'd think 'that's a bit steep'. I came out with the cost of the basic MacBook as a baseline.....:(

I'm hope for £600 or less. Any more and I'd have to consider not buying the new iPhone in the summer :eek:

[Chupa Chupa]

Apple already sells the iPhone at a "loss" compared to manufacturing cost, because at&t and other carriers subsidize the cost and give them a slice of those juicy data plans. Also, App Store developers give Apple 30% of their revenue.


Apple doesn't sell the phone at a loss, ATT does. That's what the subsidy is -- ATT paying Apple the difference between MSRP and what the consumer pays.

Originally, consumers paid full boat for the phone (no ATT subsidy) and Apple got a slice of each iPhone subscription. That changed when Apple changed to the traditional subsidy business model.

[Eidorian]

WHAT????

One of the last bastions of that world is succumbing to the RDF?? :eek:

The force is strong in this rumor.

Sounds like a legitimate self-interested and business-oriented change of mind to me...no problem. But I still hope it's something more than just a big iPhone. :rolleyes:

Eidorian is a whiner but still a Mac user...right? So he has ALREADY succumbed to the RDF. :cool:I've always had a Mac guys. :rolleyes:

I just ordered parts for a hackintosh for $80 off of NewEgg. I have plenty of free time and I'm about to head to the library to mooch off insane bandwidth to get iPhone SDK + XCode. I'll order some iPhone dev books too. Anything I can do to make some more money and use my skills is never a bad thing.

Oh and I'll sell off my MacBook to pay off for a new one. :D

[RichardI]

A Kindle DX is somewhere in the $450 to $500 range and I can't imagine Apple competing with that price, so I'm guessing Apple will offer "more" than a Kindle. This shoots my wants out of the water. I wanted some actual competition in the hopes of getting a good e-reader for about $300 Can. I really don't care about portable internet, or getting my sports news sent over the web to my cell phone...
Damn!

[BABG]

I'm guessing it's primarily a touchscreen calculator device.

If it's anything like that, it will be a huge flop practically. But, no doubt some of the Mac fanboys that populate this board, will begin splooging in the undies for a chance to wait in line for one.

[iZac]

It means the former. It has always been my opinion that Apple purposefully leaked a $1K price tag so that people will be "shocked" at how cheap it is when it comes in around $500-600

This makes a lot of sense to me.

[BRLawyer]

A Kindle DX is somewhere in the $450 to $500 range and I can't imagine Apple competing with that price, so I'm guessing Apple will offer "more" than a Kindle. This shoots my wants out of the water. I wanted some actual competition in the hopes of getting a good e-reader for about $300 Can. I really don't care about portable internet, or getting my sports news sent over the web to my cell phone...
Damn!

Poor Kindle...who cares about it now?

AMAZON IS DEAD. AND SO IS MS.

[sishaw]

This isn't so difficult to figure out. If Apple is truly telling potential content providers that the price is "nowhere near the rumored $1,000 price point," then we ask ourselves a simple question: "Would Apple tell potential content providers something they wanted to hear?" Yes, they would. More units sold (lower price) is good news. Less units sold (higher price) is bad news. So if this rumor is true—if Apple is truly saying this—then their tablet product will be 'nowhere near $1,000' on the lower-price scale.


Good logical point.

[BRLawyer]

This makes a lot of sense to me.

In fact, they did that before with Snow Leopard...everyone expected a $129 tag before they announced it for $29.

[arkmannj]

I sure hope Apple will be announcing more at the event than just a tablet.

[Ubele]

I have a feeling that this thing will not have a stylus, as this seems like a dated input device idea.

One feature I'd like to see is Wacom-type functionality. This device potentially could be a great sketchpad for artists, replacing a pad of paper and a pencil or paintbrush. If that's part of the deal, then a stylus option would be necessary (unless they expect you to grow the nail on your index finger long and file it to a point). We'll know on Wednesday.

[BRLawyer]

I sure hope Apple will be announcing more at the event than just a tablet.

Updated MBPs for sure.

[iPastor]

"- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point."

I have been a Mac person for years, and this opinion is offered as just that, an opinion. However, I firmly believe the greatest surprise of all will be the price. It isn't lost on Jobs that the economy isn't in the greatest shape. Neither is the fact that many associate Macs with people who have money to spend on such frivolity (and yes I know the arguments for Mac vs. PC and total PC cost). So what would you do if you were Jobs with your "most important thing I ever worked on" creation?

Price it to blow the skeptics and doubters away and have people lined up by the hundreds at the Apple Stores the day they are released. $499 would surely do that nicely, and even $599 would as well. You could then step up your offering with screen size, display type, etc. But to truly change everything you need it in the hands of the masses. An aggressive, non-subsidized price is how you accomplish it.

Some say they will be turned off if it's a bigger iPod Touch. Why? The iPod Touch does what it does nicely. It has a niche. It's conceivable the Touch will drop in price when the Tablet comes out, broadening the gap between price points and equipment. The Tablet will offer more and do more than the iPod Touch and that alone justifies a price that is higher, while still keeping the Touch in it's category priced aggressively.

Another fact that might get lost is what Apple will get from publishers and other companies who offer their materials for the Tablet. Priced right, with a smaller profit margin albeit, the Tablet is the profit machine that keeps on giving, much like the App Store for the iPhone / iPod Touch. This could work in favor of a lower price for the Tablet as it starts out of the gate.

One last argument for a lower price immediately; iPhone price reduction. After the $200 price drop on the original iPhone which came from greater sales than expected, Jobs won't go through that again. Better to price right in the beginning and expect great sales, than to overprice and sell less, which leads to a cost-cutting move that alienates the early adopters.

All of these add up to a convincing argument for a great intro price on the Tablet to be shown off on Wednesday.

[limesmoothie]

This makes a lot of sense to me.

Yep, all the controlled leak activity to build expectation and then come in with an eye catching price point. Would be a good move, especially in this economy. Lets face it if they hope to shift units to schools, its no good slapping a huge price tag on it.

I'm guessing they are trying to make it as ubiquitous as the iPod. Virtually every kid I teach has one, but they are within the reach of most working families as a purchase - with a base model around the £50 mark.

QED, its going to be £50 :D

[JohnnyQuest]

Even if the price point is low, I'm still expecting this Tablet to basically be a low-powered MacBook...the Apple version of a netbook, if you will. Maybe it'll have a mobile version of iWork, and will act as a product that allows us to NOT have to lug around our laptops everywhere. And obviously some other features, like the ebook reader, to distinguish it from the iPhone/Touch line. Apple wouldn't make a product will practically the same features as an oversized iPhone, because people with iPhones wouldn't need it, and it wouldn't sell.

[sishaw]

Poor Kindle...who cares about it now?

AMAZON IS DEAD. AND SO IS MS.

Um...people who like to read books? This iPad/iSlate/iCuneiformTablet may well be better for magazines and newspapers, but I'll still wager that e-ink is easier on the eyes than the LCD screen this item will most likely have. Not a problem for reading in short bursts. Also, even I admit that periodicals don't render very well on a Kindle. However, for reading a book for long periods of time, e-ink readers like the Kindle will still have their place because they are much more comfortable on the eyes.

I think. Who knows, though? Maybe Apple has something radical up its sleeve that solves the eye fatigue problem.

[Winni]

Here's hoping they offer self book publishing, like how anyone can upload an app to the app store, and it's fairly easy to put a CD on the itunes store.

You would still have to pass Apple's censorship, and they will only allow Disney-style, sexless, politically correct stuff. Or, in other words, this will be the most uninteresting place to buy - or publish - (e-)Books on the planet.

No, my bets are on Amazon. At least those guys know what readers want and how an Internet book shop is supposed to work.

Apple has done well in the music sector, but I doubt that they will be able to reproduce that success in other domains. Oh, and their DRM completely sucks.

[namoeg]

A $500 price tag would actually get me interested, though I am quite curious to see just how this tablet changes the e-reader game. If it does, then I might actually have a use for this machine. Otherwise, I don't need a machine whose job is already done adequately by my MBP and iPod Touch.

[Ropie]

This device potentially could be a great sketchpad for artists, replacing a pad of paper and a pencil or paintbrush. If that's part of the deal, then a stylus option would be necessary (unless they expect you to grow the nail on your index finger long and file it to a point)

If this device does not offer some kind of 'direct draw' method with something other than a finger then it will be a criminal act. I am seriously hoping for a soft 'brush' type input device, as an extra of some sort.

[gentleman00]

Here is what we can expect:

Much like the iphone/ ipod touch, Apple will introduce two tablets:

1. The first will be an e-reader with wireless connectivity with no 3G; much like the ipod touch. It will be for gamers, students, etc.

2. the second one will have wireless, 3G or 4G connectivity, with camera and ichat capabilities. The second one will be pricier and it will be subsidized with two year contracts with Verizon and ATT

[Beric]

I thought eReaders were expensive...

Yeah, looking like it may come with some sort of contract required. Not that I care, because I'm not planning on getting one.

But will it run Crysis?

Sorry, wrong crowd here. ;)

[enberg]

This isn't so difficult to figure out. If Apple is truly telling potential content providers that the price is "nowhere near the rumored $1,000 price point," then we ask ourselves a simple question: "Would Apple tell potential content providers something they wanted to hear?" Yes, they would. More units sold (lower price) is good news. Less units sold (higher price) is bad news. So if this rumor is true—if Apple is truly saying this—then their tablet product will be 'nowhere near $1,000' on the lower-price scale..
I _really_ doubt Apple is stupid enough to lie to people they're in contract negotiations with.

[marksman]

I sure hope that this tablet isn't going to be just an ebook reader. Yes, that would be a great idea, and I'd most definitely use it, but I'm also hoping for a brand new iPhone-type device with apps, games, etc - Especially if they've been working on this for such a long time.

It sounds to me like it will be a book/magazine/newspaper delivery device also with a compatibility with iphone like applications.

I think such a device at a $499 price point would do very well.

I doubt it is only an ebook reader. I think there is enough evidence out there that there is potentially some compatibility with existing iphone applications, that it is possible.

I am guessing it is going to essentially deliver most of the things you get with an iphone and on top of that have an advanced information delivery system for all kinds of different sources of documents and information. I think it will not have any phone capabilities and it will not have any gps capabilities.

[Robert M.]

Glad it won't be $1000! I think at that price it would just sell to people like us!! lol! At $500-$700, average consumers might pick up one! I think it should be priced like a high end netbook. :cool:

Anyway we have less then 2 days!!!!!! :D

[BABG]

Updated MBPs for sure.

How do you know such things?

[Beric]

Well my world just got mixed up. I've pretty much sealed a deal to sell my Macbook and I'm now dipping into being an iPhone developer for an old job of mine. :rolleyes:

Well, good luck with that. I'll be selling my old Macbook as well, but only if I get a new Macbook Pro. Otherwise I'll have to keep this guy for a while yet. :(

Updated MBPs for sure.

Sorry, but not even the Tablet is a "for sure" yet.

[slabwax]

$500-$600 And I'm down for three.

Dean

[marksman]

I don't think people are factoring in the things it won't have like an iphone as well, so there is trade-off on costs.

I have a nice 10" asus notebook I bought for under $300.00.

So thinking a device like this that emulates a lot of already developed iphone functionality and adds content delivery would be ~$499.00 is not unreasonable. This will not have a lot of hardware that is in an iphone.

[ThisIsMike]

"A large library of e-book content for the tablet is not expected until "mid-2010 at the very earliest", although Apple will likely have something to show at the media event."

Well, uh, considering the tablet is rumored to not actually be AVAILABLE until somewhere between March-June, doesn't that kind of not matter? lol "Oh no! We won't have a large library of e-book content until the tablet is actually available for purchase! Whatever shall we do!?"

[talkingnewmedia]

New tablet rumor: the Apple tablet is so advanced that it not only will allow you to read your favorite books in a whole new way, it will also create whole new books by your favorite authors!

For instance, you like Charles Dickens? Well, with one push of the Old Author App you can have the tablet write a whole new, previously unpublished book by the long dead author. Like vampire stories? With the new Apple tablet you can select your favorite author, select a genre, then combine the two. Voila, a new addition to the Twilight series, written by Charles Dickens!

Yes sirree, book publishing will never be the same.

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

Here is what we can expect:

Much like the iphone/ ipod touch, Apple will introduce two tablets:

1. The first will be an e-reader with wireless connectivity with no 3G; much like the ipod touch. It will be for gamers, students, etc.

2. the second one will have wireless, 3G or 4G connectivity, with camera and ichat capabilities. The second one will be pricier and it will be subsidized with two year contracts with Verizon and ATT
Without the phone tie-in this logic is heavily flawed. Apple will more likely introduce similarly featured models with the possibility of mobile broadband connectivity through built-in hardware. A low-end model may exclude the required chip, but they wouldn't create a strong price gap between them based on features (as is the case with the iPod Touch and the iPhone).

My money's on similar units with slight differences, such as storage. If the units are subsidized by a company like Verizon or AT&T it will make the product available at a considerably lower price with a contract. Others would be able to buy the product at a higher price (non-subsidized) without wireless broadband connectivity. Another option is wireless broadband with a monthly fee and no contract as if often available on laptops.

I do not think they will offer free always-on wireless broadband, as is done with the Kindle, because Apple would have to pick up the tab. For the amount of data a device like this will be transmitting that just won't happen. Edit: Another option is that wireless broadband will be available regardless of user option for certain key functions, such as book purchases, through the built-in broadband chip which may or may not be available for other users like internet browsing depending on whether a user agreement with Verizon or AT&T exists).

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

I _really_ doubt Apple is stupid enough to lie to people they're in contract negotiations with.
I get the impression you didn't read my post clearly. Apple won't like to them—which is why we can draw conclusions based on what Apple would choose to promote. If this product was going to be considerably more than $1,000, Apple wouldn't be mentioning that at all, or if they did mention it, it would be in discussion as a premium product. Consider that a content provider is more concerned with the quantity of units they can sell than, well, probably any other single negotiation factor.

[BRLawyer]

2. the second one will have wireless, 3G or 4G connectivity, with camera and ichat capabilities. The second one will be pricier and it will be subsidized with two year contracts with Verizon and ATT

Please, NO.

ATT and Verizon do not exist outside the US and I don't want to be tied to carriers just so I can use my tablet's networking features. This cannot be just another phone.

[BRLawyer]

New tablet rumor: the Apple tablet is so advanced that it not only will allow you to read your favorite books in a whole new way, it will also create whole new books by your favorite authors!

For instance, you like Charles Dickens? Well, with one push of the Old Author App you can have the tablet write a whole new, previously unpublished book by the long dead author. Like vampire stories? With the new Apple tablet you can select your favorite author, select a genre, then combine the two. Voila, a new addition to the Twilight series, written by Charles Dickens!

Yes sirree, book publishing will never be the same.

Sounds like a joke, but it's NOT. Just think of iTunes Genius Mixes for books...yes, Apple can deliver ;)

[diabolic]

Some say they will be turned off if it's a bigger iPod Touch. Why?

I don't understand that either. If it's basically a big iPod Touch, or to paraphrase that, a touchscreen/wifi/email/web browser/e-reader that runs apps from the app store, I'll be happy. Even more if it's substantially under $1000.

[williedigital]

I'd imagine that Apple with have a whole library of public domain books available at launch.

Just like all the public domain music and movies on itunes at present right? Free media competes with pay media, so no access to free media?

[acrafton]

Does Amazon really want to be a competitive, leading manufacturer of electronics (Kindle) or did they feel they need to jump in because no one had yet built a good reader? Do they view themselves as a gigantic retailer of traditional and e-books or do they really want to enter into an arms race with Apple?

Seems to me Amazon would be better served supporting platforms as a distributor and taking a cut off each transaction. Not sure what they, Barnes and Noble think they will gain from the balkanization of the ebook market.

[kwarren]

At $500 this is still to expensive, it needs to be at $299.

Are you on drugs? It doesn't need to be any price, and if it's in between a MBP and an iPhone and acts as the best eReader out there plus whatever other capabilities it may/will have, then $299 is absolutely absurd. It's Apple: nothing first gen is ever cheap. Accept it.

[lilo777]

Does Amazon really want to be a competitive, leading manufacturer of electronics (Kindle) or did they feel they need to jump in because no one had yet built a good reader? Do they view themselves as a gigantic retailer of traditional and e-books or do they really want to enter into an arms race with Apple?

Seems to me Amazon would be better served supporting platforms as a distributor and taking a cut off each transaction. Not sure what they, Barnes and Noble think they will gain from the balkanization of the ebook market.

It may depend on whether Apple decides to simply deliver the hardware or enter into an arms race with Amazon and other distributors for content distribution ;) In the latter case publishers/distributors may prefer Microsoft/HP

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I don't think people are factoring in the things it won't have like an iphone as well, so there is trade-off on costs.

I have a nice 10" asus notebook I bought for under $300.00.

So thinking a device like this that emulates a lot of already developed iphone functionality and adds content delivery would be ~$499.00 is not unreasonable. This will not have a lot of hardware that is in an iphone.

You can't do that. Apple prices their production at the premium end of the spectrum. Sure you have that $300 notebook, but look at where Apple prices their lowest-end notebook. Someone can get a smart phone for free with contract, look where Apple prices their smart phone with contract. There are tons of iPod-like players- some with MORE capabilities than iPod- but look where Apple prices their iPods. Why will this product break the pattern?

And these people imagining the print industry will subsidize the price, why exactly will they do that? And are you the same people who keep speculating that all this print media is going to be souped up with new features like video, etc AND priced a lot lower since it won't have to be printed and distributed like the print edition? Apple can't "save" the print industry :rolleyes: while getting them to chip in on the TOTAL price Apple wants for this Tablet, getting them put in the time & effort to meaningfully enhance their print products for the Tablet AND getting them to significantly reduce the price they charge for that media, since they don't have to print it on paper for this Tablet.

Realistically, if there is going to be a subsidy for a price "not anywhere near $1000", it's going to be hooked to an optional 3G contract. That way the company paying the difference with you will actually get paid back by you over time.

Having read all I've read, thought about the possibilities, etc. my low-end guess is still at $799 unsubsidized, which, in marketing-speak is "not anywhere near $1000", with pricing as low as around $399 with a 2-year contract with AT&T or Verizon.

This is Apple we're talking about. On what else did they roll out a "next big thing" product and have everyone shocked at how LOW the price was (without a 3G subsidy hooked to it)?

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Seems to me Amazon would be better served supporting platforms as a distributor and taking a cut off each transaction. Not sure what they, Barnes and Noble think they will gain from the balkanization of the ebook market.

They're all hoping for a iPod-like dominance scenario. It's their shot at building an iPod for books. They all saw what iPod did for little Apple (at the time) and would all like a chance to do the same for themselves.

[OllyW]

Someone can get a smart phone for free with contract, look where Apple prices their smart phone with contract.

You can get the iPhone free with contract.

[HobeSoundDarryl]

You can get the iPhone free with contract.

Sorry, I should have better worded that relative to rolling out a new Apple product.

[pmz]

10 screen
more memory/storage
faster CPU
iWork
iLife
keyboard mouse options


Worth $599 to me

Best post in weeks

[zap2]

The away from 1000 dollar price point is good news, but I'm concerned that will mean its more of a big iPod touch. This report as well as the data of "50 tablet like devices surfing the web using 3.2" suggests that to me. It be a neat device, but not quite what I'm looking for.

[marksman]

You can't do that. Apple prices their production at the premium end of the spectrum. Sure you have that $300 notebook, but look at where Apple prices their lowest-end notebook. Someone can get a smart phone for free with contract, look where Apple prices their smart phone with contract. There are tons of iPod-like players- some with MORE capabilities than iPod- but look where Apple prices their iPods. Why will this product break the pattern?


Yes I can do that, because $500 is much more than under $300.

How are you missing that point.

It would be like me saying, well I have a hp notebook for $500 that does this that and this so it makes sense that Apple could do something in line with those specs for $999.

Somehow you misunderstood that under $300 is not the same price point as $500.

[miknos]

But what about the screen??? Reading on the LCD/OLED is not the same as the E-ink. Nicely would be having the hybrid.

I wanna read book (long hours), not a few articles.

[Hattig]

If it's $500, you can pretty much count on it being nothing more than a "bigger iPhone."

Well technically that's all it is. It'll be the iPhone 4's hardware, but attached to a 10" display. Maybe more RAM, maybe more battery, but that's it. Incremental cost increase over the iPhone could be minimal considering that miniaturisation will not be quite as drastic. $700 seems feasible.

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Yes I can do that, because $500 is much more than under $300.

How are you missing that point.

It would be like me saying, well I have a hp notebook for $500 that does this that and this so it makes sense that Apple could do something in line with those specs for $999.

Somehow you misunderstood that under $300 is not the same price point as $500.

Sorry, I didn't mean you couldn't do that as in "I forbid you to do that". I meant that's not how Apple prices things. Following your logic, maybe I could find that same Asus notebook used for $50, and since it has the same tech inside, maybe this Tablet should be priced at $100. That's still 100% more, but it will have no more of a bearing on how Apple prices this thing.

The reality is that apparently Apple thinks this is a really big thing. It has it's own special session scheduled this week. If you step back through a similar setup in Apple's history, the pattern is exactly the same:

major fanboy hype buildup ahead of the event
major segments believe that "this time pricing will be different (lower)"
EVENT is on with live coverage
we drink the koolaid, oohing and ahing all the way up until Steve announces the price
then, there are a ton of thread posts griping about how it's missing this and that, I can't believe they want that much for it, and 2 or 3 posts about "snappier" and "powerbook G5".


Do you really believe that this time is going to be different?

I think we get your price- maybe a little better than that- with a subsidy via AT&T or Verizon, or some similar, contract-hooked arrangement directly with Apple, or similar. I just don't see an unsubsidized iPhone being priced higher than this "latest & greatest" Tablet, even if I try to cut the phone functionality (and thus all the benefits of that functionality) out of this, and let it be more of a bigger iPod Touch.

But the good news is we both find out in less than 2 days. I'd hang on to that Asus rather than make a big bet on a $499 unsubsidized Tablet to replace it.

[Marcusjlang]

At $500 this is still to expensive, it needs to be at $299.

Super fail for thinking it is possible that they will price it for less than the (high end) iPod Touch, it probably is going to have an iPod on it.

[ctdonath]

I don't understand that either. If it's basically a big iPod Touch, or to paraphrase that, a touchscreen/wifi/email/web browser/e-reader that runs apps from the app store, I'll be happy. Even more if it's substantially under $1000.

Here's another vote for the same confusion. The only thing lacking from the iPhone, save size, is the ability to run arbitrary software on it a la OS X.

Ignore the iPhone/iPod name & baggage for a moment, and just slightly tweak the specs.
If I offered you a pretty much full-blown computer, with touchscreen, WiFi/G3/G4, e-mail, web browsing, e-book reader, Bluetooth keyboard and mouse (with trackpad surface) support, 10s of GB of flash, "cloud computing" support offloading local storage needs, runs arbitrary software* including compilers*, and maybe even mini Display Port & USB (if not wireless versions thereof), all in a package no larger than a 10" notepad about 1/4" thick (and little heavier), why would you NOT gladly shell out $1000+ for it? Come Thursday lunch I'll be at the Apple store waving my credit card.

* - this may be the make/break point for many of us. The iPhone model is awesome, but for the single caveat that all software be Apple-approved. For truly breakthru tech, the device must free the user from the desktop; as is now, about the only reason I have a home PC short of screen size & keyboard is that the iPod demands periodic tethering. Dear Steve, grant us gcc...

[deconstruct60]

If this product was going to be considerably more than $1,000, Apple wouldn't be mentioning that at all, or if they did mention it, it would be in discussion as a premium product. Consider that a content provider is more concerned with the quantity of units they can sell than, well, probably any other single negotiation factor.

The number of copies that a content provider can sell is directly connected to how many devices are bought and deployed. For example if there are only 1 million devices then the NYTimes can't possibly sell more than 1 million subscriptions. In fact most publishers are only going to get a smaller fragment of the total device population. So for them to be interested need to have a sufficiently larger market (or portential market) than the competing solutions. There is zero reason for those folks to seriously talk with Apple unless they are getting some projection of footprint the device will have. There is no way to do a cost benefit analysis if you don't have those numbers.

[machomer]

Will this have phone capabilities as well? It's a big @$$ iPhone right. So we can hold the 10 inch screen to our ear to talk. Imagine if we never moved away from the big 'brick' cell phones because technology never advanced to a point were chips never got smaller and things just got faster. This will be the first You-tube video, holding this thing up to you ear.

Seriously, wonder how much data plan is and where is tethering?

:p

[Aribus]

Think further.

You see,

The real paradigm here is not a computer without a keyboard - the real paradigm here is the way content will be accessed. Don´t look to hard on the hardware - content is king - The hardwares purpose is only to distribute the content.

If you want to stream - make it smoth as a dream...

[3N16MA]

I hope Apple does not release something in the $299-$399 range like some people are hoping. That means it would be nothing more than a glorified iPod Touch or subsidized by a contract. I am hoping for more than a big screen for Apps and e-book. I also don't need another contract and I think many would agree. I have a friend that works at Future Shop here in Canada (owned by Best Buy) and he said those netbooks you get for free by signing a contract for a data plan hardly ever sell. None of the employees make any commission from them because no customer even seems interested.

[HobeSoundDarryl]

The number of copies that a content provider can sell is directly connected to how many devices are bought and deployed. For example if there are only 1 million devices then the NYTimes can't possibly sell more than 1 million subscriptions. In fact most publishers are only going to get a smaller fragment of the total device population. So for them to be interested need to have a sufficiently larger market (or portential market) than the competing solutions. There is zero reason for those folks to seriously talk with Apple unless they are getting some projection of footprint the device will have. There is no way to do a cost benefit analysis if you don't have those numbers.

Furthermore, if you are these publishers, you don't care that much about Tablet numbers, as getting your products sold to ALL-itunes-connected devices. Getting to sell your magazines, books, etc to the whole crowd is much, MUCH more appealing than thinking about being sold on just this ONE device.

I fear that too many people think the 2 are absolutely intertwined... that this print media is going to be to the Tablet, what apps are to the iPhone/Touch. I don't see it that way at all. If I'm one of these publishers, I want my new iTunes media to be sold like the movie/tv show/music media in iTunes... meaning, to everyone with an iTunes-connected device.

But, as soon as you decouple this special new content from the Tablet, it circles right back to "if I already have (laptop, iPhone, Touch, or combinations), why do I need this Tablet" questions. And the most solid answers keep coming back to less tangible answers like "cool", "thinner", "lighter", (moderately more) "convenient", and the imaginary features such as those on Star Trek tricorders, and similar.

[pags]

I'd happily pay $500-$600 for a 10" iPod Touch if it lets me read books, newspapers, and magazines on it, lets me store pdf files on it and access them offline, and has good data/text entry features for taking meeting notes.

If I could edit Office docs too, that would be icing on the cake. USB and SD ports, and the ability to connect a bluetooth keyboard, would be a cherry on top (to mix my metaphors).

[pubwvj]

middle-men to bring e-books to the iPhone are being cut out of the tablet, with Apple preferring to work directly with the publishers.

Good. All these different incompatible readers are annoying. I just want to read my books, both paid and public domain as well as PDFs and other documents. I would like them to be readable in what ever 'reader' I want to use. For example, GoodReader, not a book seller, is a great reader. I use it for PDFs and JPGs. It would be great if it read paid books too and could access (read) all the books on a device rather than having little sandboxes.

A large library of e-book content for the tablet is not expected until "mid-2010 at the very earliest", although Apple will likely have something to show at the media event.

There is an enormous library of public domain books already in existence. Hopefully that is going to be available. It would be a crying shame if Apple were to lock out public domain literature. I suspect this will be accessible on the Tablet, after all it is accessible on the iPod/iPhone and the Macintosh. Even Windows can.

[QUOTE=MacRumorsApple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point.[/QUOTE]

Hurrah.
$3,000 Top of the line Mac
$2,000 MacBook Pro
$1,000 MacBook
$500 MacTablet
$250 iPhone/iPod
$100 iPhone with plan subsidy

Makes sense.

Cheers

-Walter

[SirHaakon]

I'd happily pay $500-$600 for a 10" iPod Touch if it lets me read books, newspapers, and magazines on it, lets me store pdf files on it and access them offline, and has good data/text entry features for taking meeting notes.

+Safari and Flash

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Will this have phone capabilities as well? It's a big @$$ iPhone right. So we can hold the 10 inch screen to our ear to talk. Imagine if we never moved away from the big 'brick' cell phones because technology never advanced to a point were chips never got smaller and things just got faster. This will be the first You-tube video, holding this thing up to you ear.

Have you not seen ear buds with microphones... you know just like the ones used with iPhones? Have you not seen bluetooth headsets? Wireless headphones with microphones? Etc.

It seems to me that a Tablet with 3G phone built in would be much more used for accessing information on the screen while talking than even the iPhone. Thus, headphones + microphone setups would probably be the norm.

Besides, no 3G capabilities equals NO 3G subsidy. For all those not already hooked up with a 3G contract with an Apple "iPhone"-like device (80M Verizon people for example), do you want to pay the TOTAL price Apple will want for this device, or a cheap price "not anywhere near $1000" with AT&T or Verizon paying the rest?

[SkippyThorson]

I figured it wouldn't be anywhere near $1000, and if I'm to buy one, it better not be. ;)

[heavensblade23]

Besides, no 3G capabilities equals NO 3G subsidy. For all those not already hooked up with a 3G contract with an Apple "iPhone"-like device (80M Verizon people for example), do you want to pay the TOTAL price Apple will want for this device, or a cheap price "not anywhere near $1000" with AT&T or Verizon paying the rest?

Some of us are already paying for 2 or 3 internet connections...

[deconstruct60]

They're all hoping for a iPod-like dominance scenario. It's their shot at building an iPod for books. They all saw what iPod did for little Apple (at the time) and would all like a chance to do the same for themselves.

No. What they are doing is more reactionary. They are already in the book/media selling business. Don't think they see this as a dominance play as much as a revenue replacement play. As much as some fraction of folks were going to e-books these reader allow them to stay in the revenue stream. Waiting on the big tech companies to catch a clue and deliver a product that pushed the innovation curve to help seemed to be a problem. So they did it themselves (and/or teamed up with smaller tech companies with ideas).

Remember Xerox did more to jumpstart the modern GUI computer era than most "computer" companies of the time.

When books-on-tape came they started selling those too. If the consumer electronics companies hadn't already been selling tape players would have to jump into that market too.

Very similar reasons why amazon is in the cloud computing business. There were no decent cloud offerings out there so they built their own and now anyone with a credit card can get "on demand" CPU power. It also happens to be a revenue diversification for them too.

[gibbz]

At $500 this is still to expensive, it needs to be at $299.

Keep dreaming ...

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Some of us are already paying for 2 or 3 internet connections...

I understand. But those "of you" who are doing that should probably not be expecting a subsidized-like low price for this new Tablet. I'm confident it will have an unsubsidized version for those who already own an iPhone, etc... just at a TOTAL price Apple will want for it.

My point is that people keep wishing for it not to have the 3G option, while also wishing for 3G subsidy-like prices. Those are incompatible wishes. I hope it has BOTH options, so that anyone who wants to buy a Tablet can get what they want.

And besides, since I'm in the camp that it will have 3G phone features built-in, I think of this as more of an iPhone replacement (like a next-gen model) than another add on with another contract. Personally, I really don't see it being a great fit for the person who already owns an iPhone. More likely, it will be the first "iPhone" for 80M Verizon network people, hungry for the iPhone experience, but not hungry enough to quit (and pay) Verizon to switch to AT&T. Note that in no way am I suggesting it would be exclusively available on Verizon.

[MacFly123]

That last point is almost hope-inducing. Less than $1000 would be welcome news.

"not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark "

Does that mean $500 or $1500?? :confused:

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If it's priced somewhere near the kindle/nook I'll seriously consider it.

I was pretty much decided to get one if it is around $799. But if this is true I will be so sold! :D Let's hope!

If it's $500, you can pretty much count on it being nothing more than a "bigger iPhone."

Not necessarily. Apple is very good at leveraging R&D cost. Most of the R&D from this product has already been taken care of with the iPhone and all other previous prototype slates/web tablets, and so on. Apple gets great rates on bulk orders of components. And last but not least, they want to be VERY competitive with this product. It is very clear that they want to DOMINATE this whole media market and that now includes print media in a BIG way!

One of the biggest differentiators will be the software. I am positive it will have some amazing advantages over the iPhone with the iPhone OS being on steroids and pulsing with a new UI, multi-touch, chords, and functionality we have not seen on the iPhone!

I mean really, think about it. STRICTLY hardware wise, how on earth would they make it SOOOO DIFFERENT from the iPhone??? It is a screen with components and sensors inside PERIOD! The MAGIC is in the software!

I am not going to get my hopes up, but I wouldn't be surprised if they go for a price point around $500 or so! Fingers crossed! :eek:

[iSee]

- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point.


Interesting... This and the direct comparison of size and weight to the Kindle makes me think Apple intends to drive a stake into the Kindle's heart.

With that in mind, I predict a price of $599. The Kindle DX is $489. The big-iphone-style iPad will offer so much more that "about $100" difference will be easy to justify.

Amazon might actually be OK with this, if Apple lets them run the Kindle app and doesn't skim too much off each sale. Amazon was always more interested in selling content than devices. The ongoing costs of developing, promoting and supporting Kindles is probably wearing on them a little by now. Well, put it this way: if their iPad w/Kindle App book sales are 10x their Kindle-device book sales, they'll be more than OK with it.

Then again, if Apple intends on getting rid of the middle-men (see the note about scrollmotion), they'll push Amazon off of the iPad. The more I think about it, the more I think Apple will not allow Amazon to sell significantly to the iPad platform.

[deconstruct60]

It seems to me that a Tablet with 3G phone built in would be much more used for accessing information on the screen while talking than even the iPhone. Thus, headphones + microphone setups would probably be the norm.


Doesn't have to have a phone. Even more so if being a phone would run afoul of the ATT exclusivity contract that hasn't quite expired.




Besides, no 3G capabilities equals NO 3G subsidy.


Buzzz! Thanks for playing.
Sprint and Verizon have subsidizied netbooks on sale RIGHT NOW!
Just about all of the vendors have subsidized usb data modems.

Is the subsidy going to be a large without a voice contract? No.
Is it going to be zero? No.

With usage capped data plan and a "oh so tempting to blow the cap" device coupled to it, lots of folks are going to rack up overage charges.
That will be just clean profit. But certainly there is a profit margin plenty build into most of the data plans the carriers off. Especially if they are capped.



For all those not already hooked up with a 3G contract with an Apple "iPhone"-like device (80M Verizon people for example), do you want to pay the TOTAL price Apple will want for this device, or a cheap price "not anywhere near $1000" with AT&T or Verizon paying the rest?

Sure would if Verizon offered a data plan without the subsidy profit build in. Sort of like the Tmobile plans for unlocked devices. The long term costs are cheaper (especially if you have access to better finance rates). Yeah sure you loose out folks who are time value of money challenged, but unsubsidized pricing works in other countries. Then the Verizon advertising and point to the ATT data prices and croon how those folks are getting stroked.


The subsidy is really just a line of credit. You either borrow the money and agree to pay the cell company back or you can borrow the money from your credit card company and pay them back. The "smoke and mirrors" that cell company engages in is the they hide that this is the fact with small print in the contract. And then you get folks yelling and screaming about early termination fees later when what that really is a balloon loan repayment.


Similarly, as many of the GSM advocates like to point out, on EV-DO networks need two connections anyway. The tablet will make much more sense for the even LARGER market of people who do NOT have expensive 3G contracts. In that way it is more of a phone augment. Can dump the "internet" and still walk around with you phone when you want to.
Everyone doesn't need to have internet in the bathroom like some people.

[ThunderSkunk]

Boooooo! Go back to the moon! This is a RUMOR site. Of course all of our conjecture is based on rumors. The Macfacts.com site will be launched on Wednesday afternoon.

Hahaha... just injecting a hot shot of reality back into the discussion. :D ...it's not as much fun tho, is it... :(

[deconstruct60]

But what about the screen??? Reading on the LCD/OLED is not the same as the E-ink. Nicely would be having the hybrid.

I wanna read book (long hours), not a few articles.

I think Apple vs. E-ink will hinge primarily around how much folks are addicted to colorization of their media. For your basic, classic book with perhaps a few B&W illustrations ( e.g., mainstream paperback and novels ) then E-ink has advantages.

Once get into stuff with technical illustrations (e.g., tech books ) and "eye candy" to attract more eyeballs (vast majority of magazine) then color LCDs screens can deliver better results even if harder on the eyeballs. Apple will use color as the major feature differentiator along with being more flexible (does other stuff too). I doubt they will compete on price of the basic device reader.

A hybrid screen will drive costs up. Not sure it would really save battery or be easier on the eyeballs if in the color LCD mode the vast majority of time. (e.g, the home screen, webbrower, other apps and most other media. )
That horse is out of the barn. Even more so if that is the point the advertising is going to drove home as being the primary utility.

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

The number of copies that a content provider can sell is directly connected to how many devices are bought and deployed. For example if there are only 1 million devices then the NYTimes can't possibly sell more than 1 million subscriptions. In fact most publishers are only going to get a smaller fragment of the total device population. So for them to be interested need to have a sufficiently larger market (or portential market) than the competing solutions. There is zero reason for those folks to seriously talk with Apple unless they are getting some projection of footprint the device will have. There is no way to do a cost benefit analysis if you don't have those numbers.
Re-read what I wrote. My point was that Apple would not have been using the price as a talking point unless it related to a larger volume of products. I believe I expressed myself quite clearly.

[Enigma55]

What I want to know is, how is this tablet going to help save Haiti...??

[cmaier]

I think Apple vs. E-ink will hinge primarily around how much folks are addicted to colorization of their media. For your basic, classic book with perhaps a few B&W illustrations ( e.g., mainstream paperback and novels ) then E-ink has advantages.

Once get into stuff with technical illustrations (e.g., tech books ) and "eye candy" to attract more eyeballs (vast majority of magazine) then color LCDs screens can deliver better results even if harder on the eyeballs. Apple will use color as the major feature differentiator along with being more flexible (does other stuff too). I doubt they will compete on price of the basic device reader.

A hybrid screen will drive costs up. Not sure it would really save battery or be easier on the eyeballs if in the color LCD mode the vast majority of time. (e.g, the home screen, webbrower, other apps and most other media. )
That horse is out of the barn. Even more so if that is the point the advertising is going to drove home as being the primary utility.

The average consumer sees in e-ink the same advantages as s/he sees in black and white CRT televisions. i.e.: none. When presented with a black on off-white e-ink reader and a bright, shiny, colorful LCD reader, the arguable benefits of less eyestrain will not be very apparent.

You can tell people that vegetables are better for them than candybars, but if you hand a guy a bag of lettuce and a Twix, chances are he's going for the Twix.

[deconstruct60]

Interesting... This and the direct comparison of size and weight to the Kindle makes me think Apple intends to drive a stake into the Kindle's heart.

With that in mind, I predict a price of $599. The Kindle DX is $489. The big-iphone-style iPad will offer so much more that "about $100" difference will be easy to justify.


Apple is going to claim that it does MORE than a Kindle. Alot more. Hence will charge a higher price because "it is worth it".

If exactly the same size ( seems doubtful) I'm sure Amazon will counter with battery life and readability without being eye blasted.




Then again, if Apple intends on getting rid of the middle-men (see the note about scrollmotion), they'll push Amazon off of the iPad. The more I think about it, the more I think Apple will not allow Amazon to sell significantly to the iPad platform.

There is no reason to kick them off. Just offer a better price. Still will want folks who have content from multiple platforms. They'll want to make the transition easy. Telling folks they have to go re-buy all of the books they already have will piss people off. That is NOT a good way to jumpstart introducing your product to the that portion of the market. [ Especially when it already works NOW! ]

[twoodcc]

well that sounds pretty good. we'll see in a couple of days now!

[deconstruct60]

The average consumer sees in e-ink the same advantages as s/he sees in black and white CRT televisions. i.e.: none. When presented with a black on off-white e-ink reader and a bright, shiny, colorful LCD reader, the arguable benefits of less eyestrain will not be very apparent.

You can tell people that vegetables are better for them than candybars, but if you hand a guy a bag of lettuce and a Twix, chances are he's going for the Twix.

Yeah sure there are Ted Turners out there. Luckily they stopped him from destroying movies at some point.

I fully realize your point. However, I will point out that there are billions of dollars of vegetables sold. Not everyone is on a pure junk food diet. Also would bet that most of the kindle crowd were not the pure junk food diet folks either. But yeah, that does leave Apple with the bigger zombie market.

The primary argument is going to be more flexibility (does more things). The color is the kicker can use in 30 second ads.

[1999ncsu]

Have you seen the Digital Disney Books? http://disneydigitalbooks.go.com/
They seem to be a perfect fit for the tablet.

[mickhyperion]

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"- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point."

I have been a Mac person for years, and this opinion is offered as just that, an opinion. However, I firmly believe the greatest surprise of all will be the price. It isn't lost on Jobs that the economy isn't in the greatest shape. Neither is the fact that many associate Macs with people who have money to spend on such frivolity (and yes I know the arguments for Mac vs. PC and total PC cost). So what would you do if you were Jobs with your "most important thing I ever worked on" creation?

Price it to blow the skeptics and doubters away and have people lined up by the hundreds at the Apple Stores the day they are released. $499 would surely do that nicely, and even $599 would as well. You could then step up your offering with screen size, display type, etc. But to truly change everything you need it in the hands of the masses. An aggressive, non-subsidized price is how you accomplish it.

Some say they will be turned off if it's a bigger iPod Touch. Why? The iPod Touch does what it does nicely. It has a niche. It's conceivable the Touch will drop in price when the Tablet comes out, broadening the gap between price points and equipment. The Tablet will offer more and do more than the iPod Touch and that alone justifies a price that is higher, while still keeping the Touch in it's category priced aggressively.

Another fact that might get lost is what Apple will get from publishers and other companies who offer their materials for the Tablet. Priced right, with a smaller profit margin albeit, the Tablet is the profit machine that keeps on giving, much like the App Store for the iPhone / iPod Touch. This could work in favor of a lower price for the Tablet as it starts out of the gate.

One last argument for a lower price immediately; iPhone price reduction. After the $200 price drop on the original iPhone which came from greater sales than expected, Jobs won't go through that again. Better to price right in the beginning and expect great sales, than to overprice and sell less, which leads to a cost-cutting move that alienates the early adopters.

All of these add up to a convincing argument for a great intro price on the Tablet to be shown off on Wednesday.

I like the way you think.

[deconstruct60]

Re-read what I wrote. My point was that Apple would not have been using the price as a talking point unless it related to a larger volume of products. I believe I expressed myself quite clearly.

What you wrote makes no sense if you claim that price has nothing to do with the volume sold. Anybody can pull a "I'm going to sell 10 million" number out of their butt. The usual way to ground that in reality and tell whether that is a number out of the their butt is to ask what price range the selling price is. If someone says "oh $2,500" then you know they are on crack and end the negotiations. If they say "somewhere between $500-900 then know they have actually done some research.

If Apple sends their customers to the poor house just buying the raw device they won't have any money left to buy the subscriptions.

[surferfromuk]

Since were all having fun with random often insane speculation I'm gonna go on record to say it will come with a strange extendable pod like stalk which magnetically latches to the back of the tablet. This causes the Tablet to stand about 10 inches off the table and also charges it. Additionally the very wide winged and curved base slips under your thighs and whilst sitting allows you to position the screen 10 to 15 inches above your legs - in the air facing you.

This will allow you to play, work and read hands free!

Less hysterically I believe this thing will essentially be a 10" touchscreen with slightly enhanced iPhone 3GS internals running the unseen iPhone OS 4.0.

It will have a front facing video camera with iChat Touch and iWork Touch with all new Canvas (painting app) included in the price

It will cost $299 for a 16GB and $399 for 32GB.

The cellular version will be priced exactly as iPhones are.

A new SDK will be released for tablet development of apps, magazines, newspaper, enhanced interactive books and so on.

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

What you wrote makes no sense if you claim that price has nothing to do with the volume sold. Anybody can pull a "I'm going to sell 10 million" number out of their butt. The usual way to ground that in reality and tell whether that is a number out of the their butt is to ask what price range the selling price is. If someone says "oh $2,500" then you know they are on crack and end the negotiations. If they say "somewhere between $500-900 then know they have actually done some research.

If Apple sends their customers to the poor house just buying the raw device they won't have any money left to buy the subscriptions.
At no point did I claim that price has no bearing on the volume sold. On the contrary, my point was that the volume sold correlates strongly to the price—and it is from this I extrapolated my conclusion. Perhaps you've mixed me up with someone else? You're preaching to the choir.

[kkowlgi]

Could it be that the tablet is just a big multitouch screen with on which one could dock an iPhone or an iPod, that way the price can be very low (< 200$) and there wouldn't be any competition with iPhones or iPod touches...

[deconstruct60]

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I like the way you think.

You make like the way it thinks. They critical problem that is not the way Steve Jobs thinks.

"We're going to revolutionize computer with the Macintosh" -- Priced higher than any mainstream computer.

NeXT Computer -- Priced higher than entry workstations.

Cube insanely cool -- high.

iPod -- high.

Mac Book Air -- high .

AppleTV -- relatively high.

iPhone -- high .



The man has no track record what so ever in delivering a band new product at a extremely competive price level. He has never done it.
Sure once introduced and then in some cases ipod mini then shuffle has of late not allowed folks to inject a price umbrella underneath his dominating product .... but never at the introduction.


The risk factor at introduction is high whether will get traction as fast as think you will. To mitigate that will keep it high. If Jobs comes out on stage and effectively says we are going to take lower profit margins for the public good because this stuff is so insanely critical to the world .... the stock price will drop like a rock the next day and about 12 ambulance cashing lawyers will be circling Infinity drive with stock holder suits the following day.


Apple has deliberately refused to lower laptop prices below $1000 ( $999 is $1000 in practical terms). They have been keeping a slot open for a long time now. This slate has been a long time coming. Sometimes 2 + 2 = 4 .

[deconstruct60]

Could it be that the tablet is just a big multitouch screen with on which one could dock an iPhone or an iPod, that way the price can be very low (< 200$) and there wouldn't be any competition with iPhones or iPod touches...

The graphics chip in the iPhone/Touch would have to drive a screen that 2-3 times bigger. Very likely no way it would be able to do that at 720p.
Besides the only connectivity layer you have is USB (since that is the dock connector bus.) Going to drive a high resolution screen through USB ?

[NT1440]

If Jobs comes out on stage and effectively says we are going to take lower profit margins for the public good because this stuff is so insanely critical to the world .... the stock price will drop like a rock the next day and about 12 ambulance cashing lawyers will be circling Infinity drive with stock holder suits the following day.



If apples products had a slightly lower profit margin theyd be selling even more millions of them. Did you read about the quarter results?

[cmaier]

The graphics chip in the iPhone/Touch would have to drive a screen that 2-3 times bigger. Very likely no way it would be able to do that at 720p.
Besides the only connectivity layer you have is USB (since that is the dock connector bus.) Going to drive a high resolution screen through USB ?

It's also a dopey idea. Recall that Palm was going to do essentially that sort of thing with the Folio (not exactly the same idea, but similar).

[Eric-PTEK]

If its in the neighborhood of $800 I'll order one.

What I'd like is either it heavily subsidized with a $60 a month internet plan that will tether to the computer making it about $300-$400 or buying it outright for $800 and tying it to my iPhone for connectivity.

I have to have 3G for it to be useful.

I will be amazed if it doesnt' have 3G, or it doesn't automatically tether to a iPhone for 3G.

[kkowlgi]

The graphics chip in the iPhone/Touch would have to drive a screen that 2-3 times bigger. Very likely no way it would be able to do that at 720p.
Besides the only connectivity layer you have is USB (since that is the dock connector bus.) Going to drive a high resolution screen through USB ?

An additional 3D graphics chip and some extra USB ports will do the trick. It will be tough on people to buy the applications they already own on an iPhone/iPod touch for the iPad.

[cmaier]

An additional 3D graphics chip and some extra USB ports will do the trick. It will be tough on people to buy the applications they already own on an iPhone/iPod touch for the iPad.

Why would you have to do that? You can already download iphone apps onto multiple devices. You'd only have to re-buy if the developer creates a tablet-enhanced app, in which case you don't "already own" that. And since you paid $1.99 for the iphone version, I don't think it's much to ask to have you pay again for a greatly enhanced, much modified new version for a completely different device.

[appleguy123]

I heard Safari runs real snappy on it

Where did this MacRumors meme start?

[kkowlgi]

Why would you have to do that? You can already download iphone apps onto multiple devices. You'd only have to re-buy if the developer creates a tablet-enhanced app, in which case you don't "already own" that. And since you paid $1.99 for the iphone version, I don't think it's much to ask to have you pay again for a greatly enhanced, much modified new version for a completely different device.

hmmm...if the developers are spending more effort making an improved version then it does make sense to buy some apps again.

[0dev]

So we can safely assume that given Apple has been rumored to release 2 different products, one of them will be an E-Reader only? I don't see Apple devoting all of these years to "just" an E-reader, so I'm wondering if it will be one device that 'does it all' or there will be another tablet with more functionality to come in the near future.

That's what I was thinking. One will be an all-singing all-dancing media device, and one will be a cheaper ebook reader. The ebook reader would have to be at least relatively cheap, or people just won't buy it, apart from us of course :D

They have got both the iPad and iSlate trademarks, so it's possible.

[deconstruct60]

Furthermore, if you are these publishers, you don't care that much about Tablet numbers, as getting your products sold to ALL-itunes-connected devices.


Every one of these broadcast media groups have websites. Where folks read their content is important. Looks of folks read on the bus, train, airplane , etc. Similarly if replacing the physical print media there are weight issues to consider. Very few people are going to trade their 1 pound newspaper/magazine for a 3-5 pound laptop.

People have been able to go to a heavyweight replacement for a while now. That has already killed off a segment of their readership. They don't need to go to iTunes.

Pushing this into iTunes also means giving up 30% (or whatever skim Apple takes.).

For instance the specialized apps for small screens. As pointed out many of these folks already have a website. Then have to build an app to put this into smaller format. Same content, additionally cost to reformat. What if you knock of that reformat cost? So yeah more than just that single device. What makes the device significant is WHERE it can deliver not what it is delivering in that case. If it is lighter AND cheaper then will be one of the dominate distribution devices.

If it purely iTunes based solution then Apple will not be the big winner. Windows netbooks are significantly cheaper and run iTunes. Besides iTunes is not a print media player.

The SOFTWARE , not website, will be the differentiator. People are way too infatuated with the iTunes store. It is just a website. Strip away the superficial stuff (e.g., specialized browser) , that is what it is.

http://ces.cnet.com/8301-31045_1-10428479-269.html

http://blioreader.com/



And the most solid answers keep coming back to less tangible answers like "cool", "thinner", "lighter", (moderately more) "convenient", and the imaginary features such as those on Star Trek tricorders, and similar.

What??? while "less tangible" those are all reasons NOT to buy something and/or take it with them. There are tons of folks who do not have an mobile/portable option to go with. If being mobile is when people read more often then are coupled much more than you want to believe.

[scottness]

The amount of publication rumors lead me to believe that this iPad isn't for me. •holds breath for i5 MBP•

[iSee]

Apple is going to claim that it does MORE than a Kindle. Alot more. Hence will charge a higher price because "it is worth it".
Yes.

If exactly the same size ( seems doubtful) I'm sure Amazon will counter with battery life and readability without being eye blasted.
Well, if we go by this rumor, the screen will be a little bigger, the device will have a smaller footprint and weigh about the same...

I don't think the readability argument will be very convincing to too many -- a lot of us read lcd displays for 10+ hours a day already without discomfort. The battery argument is more interesting. People don't seem to mind charging their phones every day, but even so, the battery in the tablet is going to have to drive the screen for at least 10 hours on a charge -- probably more -- to satisfy people. You really want 20 hours, to give the battery some room to degrade over time and still be good to go for a long day.




There is no reason to kick them off. Just offer a better price. Still will want folks who have content from multiple platforms. They'll want to make the transition easy. Telling folks they have to go re-buy all of the books they already have will piss people off. That is NOT a good way to jumpstart introducing your product to the that portion of the market. [ Especially when it already works NOW! ]
I agree... that's what I meant by saying "push" rather than something like "forbid." My guess is that Apple would allow the reader app, no problem. But they'd want a significant cut -- say 30% -- of the in-app purchases. Amazon would be forced to either (1) eat the difference -- that might be impossible for them; (2) raise the in-app purchase price -- that will push users to Apple's own built-in book store, which will usually be cheaper or push users to buy though Amazon's web site -- an inconvenience that will mean most will buy from Apple's store; (3) get rid of in-app purchasing altogether -- again, this pushes users strongly to Apple's own book store.

In any case, I think Apple will try to ensure that Amazon does not make significant sales on the device.

I could be wrong.

Both Apple and Amazon are (well, presumably in Apple's case) trying to sell a full ecosystem to users. But in their heart, Apple sells an ecosystem because its a great way to sell devices and Amazon sells an ecosystem because its a good way to sell content -- they could work together and each could still get what they really want most.

[appleguy123]

Apple already sells the iPhone at a "loss" compared to manufacturing cost, because at&t and other carriers subsidize the cost and give them a slice of those juicy data plans. Also, App Store developers give Apple 30% of their revenue.


I am almost sure this is not true. a 16g 3gS costs $180 to produce (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/06/24/16-gb-iphone-3gs-teardown-reveals-178-96-parts-and-manufacturing-cost/) and they sell it for ≈$599 (AT&T eats a lot of upfront cost). Also don't forget that it costs Apple to run the app store.

[0dev]

I am almost sure this is not true. a 16g 3gS costs $180 to produce (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/06/24/16-gb-iphone-3gs-teardown-reveals-178-96-parts-and-manufacturing-cost/) and they sell it for ≈$599 (AT&T eats a lot of upfront cost). Also don't forget that it costs Apple to run the app store.

Also: http://gigaom.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/go-iphone-r7.png

I think most of Apple's money for running the App Store comes from the 30% of sales, though.

[deconstruct60]

If apples products had a slightly lower profit margin theyd be selling even more millions of them. Did you read about the quarter results?

That they made more money than previous years and that the profit margin went up ( most likely due to a spike in software sales) also.

So how likely is it that going to step up on Wednesday and introduce a product that is going to take the margins back down to sub 37% ?

Average Smartphone and iPod Touch prices are going to go down over the next year (primarily due to market pressures beyond Apple's control.) . What Apple needs to tread water on revenue and margin is another product priced above those two that will over time move down into the price/margin/volume points they occupy now. That will give them a better opportunity to get growth if it shows up across the product line.

[appleguy123]

I do not think they will offer free always-on wireless broadband, as is done with the Kindle, because Apple would have to pick up the tab. For the amount of data a device like this will be transmitting that just won't happen. Edit: Another option is that wireless broadband will be available regardless of user option for certain key functions, such as book purchases, through the built-in broadband chip which may or may not be available for other users like internet browsing depending on whether a user agreement with Verizon or AT&T exists).

If Apple did this it would be a matter of days until the hacking community released a program a la 3g unrestrictor.
Also: http://gigaom.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/go-iphone-r7.png

I think most of Apple's money for running the App Store comes from the 30% of sales, though.

This was the image I was looking for but couldn't find. Thanks. And what I meant about it costing Apple money to host the appstore was that the 30% was not pure profit.

[iMacmatician]

- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point.So a lot cheaper or a lot more expensive? Let's hope it's the former.

[iPadre]

This thing can't only be for books. It has to be and do much, much more, or it's going to be a failure. I think it's going to be in iPhone on steroids - it will run apps and applications like iWork, iLife and other great software for on the go, but not enough to wipe out the need for a MacBook or MacBook Pro. If it's only a book reader, keep it, I don't want one!

[deconstruct60]

You can't do that. Apple prices their production at the premium end of the spectrum.


The iPod shuffle costs how much ?

It is not so much premium price necessarily as it is cost of components. It is much cheaper to get a not quite as high quality LCD panel as it would be to get a LCD panel with higher color fidelity and higher view angles.

Milling aluminum, green components , and other things Apple does costs more money. That is not to say they also don't slap a considerable profit margin on the devices. However, that doesn't mean the can't operate at lower levels if the component costs don't enable that.




Sure you have that $300 notebook, but look at where Apple prices their lowest-end notebook.


Have to compare similar products. Broad sweeping category labels like "notebook" are not going to lead to sensible "Apples to Apples" comparisons.
If it is largely the same bill of materials then it is reasonable. If comparing Atom CPUs and 2GB to CoreDuos and 4GB it is an "Apples to Oranges" comparison.

The Asus $300 notebook doesn't compete with the $800 Asus notebook either. The $800 Asus notebook would be closer in bill of materials to the Apple offering.







Having read all I've read, thought about the possibilities, etc. my low-end guess is still at $799 unsubsidized, which, in marketing-speak is "not anywhere near $1000", with pricing as low as around $399 with a 2-year contract with AT&T or Verizon.


If sell a no 3G , no GPS , WiFi only with 8 GB or flash version probably could push into the $500-600 range that folks are talking about. Lots of folks are going to grumble about the missing features but still would be in the lower range. [ NOTE: the kindle DX has 4GB of flash so 8 GB would be double. Skewed toward media reading and not trying to tote around the Library of Congress that is plenty of space. ]

That's how Apple brings things back into range by trimming off value for a lower price point.

Folks wanting it to be just slightly above a Touch. Not seeing it. Just the extra aluminum (and finishing costs), glass, screen, battery, and other stuff that comes along with being bigger is going to put a sizable gap between those two.

[NeuralControl]

So a lot cheaper or a lot more expensive? Let's hope it's the former.

If it's near $500 like many people in this thread have guessed, I will be an early adopted of the device.

[-hh]

It sounds like an excellent textbook machine.

Unfortunately, I don't have time to read the whole thread...but I do very much agree with this wholeheartedly: a textbook for education would be absolutely a huge opportunity: they're currently big/heavy and expensive, and many school districts can't afford new books all that often, so the suppliers could change to a different business model and get an annual revenue stream.

And students would benefit by not having to lug 800lb backpacks! :-)


Overall, it doesn't matter if you're talking primary education or college.


-hh

[beez1717]

I think that whatever Apple does, they are not going to do what we expect. remember how wrong we were when we tried to guess whaet the iphone was going to be like? I think Apple will probably do something again that we have not thought of but is an "oh duh how did we miss it" situation type of thing. I mean that's what I think will happen. Any thoughts on this?

[joemama]

At $500 this is still to expensive, it needs to be at $299.

If it's $500 then that is cheap, and they will sell like hotcakes. Not only will it be an e-reader like the overpriced Kindle, it will play games, music, movies, double as a textbook, and so much more.

$500 would be a deal.

[blouis79]

A little birdie told me the price will be $299
Wether this is subsidized or not, i don't know

Rats. I speculated $199 + $50/month for 2 years (total $1400 includes say $400 of content - news/mags/books). So $299 + $50/month = $1500 including a content allowance of say $30-35/month or $400/year

Obviously the real hardware cost will be higher than $299. They have wiggle room in the old world content distribution margin that covers printing/distribution.

Content publishers probably will offer e-subscriptions for same cost as paper subscriptions but with more value added.

The aim is still to quickly capture the market for online content provision leveraging Apple's long-term positioning in graphic arts.

Still curious about what the "very revolutionary" feature will be. Wireless power perhaps??

[QCassidy352]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Everyone saying the app store will "subsidize" this don't get apple's business model. They use software to sell hardware, not the other way around. Apple makes it's money on hardware.

[Jimmyz]

- Apple's tablet will not be priced "anywhere near" the $1,000 mark that some have floated as a possible price point.

I know this isn't very nice, but I hope it costs much more than $1,000 USD. Too many people have the iPhone, which makes mine much less special. If the Apple tablet comes to between $1500 and $2000, then not many people will buy one, and they will all envy mine! lol

[eyekyu]

thats awesome. so when i buy this $1500 ebook reader and fall asleep in bed, instead of doing no damage to a $30 book i smash a now have a $1500 paperweight after i drop it

this thing is going to be apple's answer to a netbook. it will be cheap and apple will have that edge for content distribution with itunes

[Jimmyz]

thats awesome. so when i buy this $1500 ebook reader and fall asleep in bed, instead of doing no damage to a $30 book i smash a now have a $1500 paperweight after i drop it

this thing is going to be apple's answer to a netbook. it will be cheap and apple will have that edge for content distribution with itunes

So your argument against it costing 1500 is that it will be easy to break, and as such, it should only cost 500 bucks? A MB Air is easy to break but costs 1800 bucks I believe, and anyways, all my expensive electronics are insured with Chubb with only a 250 dollar decuctable, so I am covered, especially since Chubb is the best insurance company in the industry, although they charge a lot. But back to my point, just because something is easy to break doesn't mean that it must or should be cheap. Obviously I don't want the new tablet to cost 1500 but have the features of a 500 dollar unit, it is because I know that you won't get much for 500 bucks, even subsidized, and I want a lot of awesome features which can only come with a 1500+ dollar price tag, plus it will make the tablet somewhat rare and unique. When I originally got my iPhone, I sold my old Vertu phone thinking that the iPhone will remain rare and high priced, but I was wrong, however as I am so used to the iPhone, I think it would be hard for me to move back to Vertu, even if I get their new awesome flip phone.

[RMXO]

I can't wait for the tablet. Been using my iphone to read ebooks & have been tired of the small screen for awhile.

[deconstruct60]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)
They use software to sell hardware, not the other way around. Apple makes it's money on hardware.

No!!! You don't get the Apple business model. Apple makes money by largely making both software and hardware pay for themselves. People get confused but in most cases you are paying total system costs not individual hardware or software costs.

You can't buy Mac hardware without software. You can only by a system.

The only things that are charge back model to some extent are iTunes, Quicktime, and Safari. Two of which leverage lots of web standards which help defray costs and the third is a standards push. iTunes draws money from OS X ( Mac OSX and iPhoneOS) sales and iPod sales. Quicktime is mostly funded out of same sources. Safari less so out of iPod sales.

However, the MAJOR products fund themselves. There is widespread speculation that one side funds the other... there is extremely little evidence for that in their financial results.

Back when Apple was grossly doing badly financially they were doing that one props up the other side stuff. That is a flawed strategy to implement over the breadth of your products.