Book Publishers Offer Details on Apple's Tablet Plans?

[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??

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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! 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!

 

[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. ...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 ?