HP Looking to Undercut iPad Pricing With 3G-Capable Slate Device

[MacRumors]

The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) on plans from other PC makers to tackle Apple's iPad head-on, and HP is looking at undercutting the iPad on pricing as a significant component to that strategy.

In the next few weeks, executives from Hewlett-Packard Co. will meet in the U.S. and Taiwan to tweak prices and features on an upcoming keyboardless computer dubbed the Slate, said two people familiar with the matter.

H-P has discussed selling a version of the Slate -- similar to the iPad in size and features, and including a cellular connection -- for a price below the $629 Apple charges for an equivalent iPad, one of these people said.

While HP's Slate was briefly demoed at CES in Las Vegas a few weeks before Apple announced the iPad, the company has refrained from offering details on the specs and pricing of the device as it waited for Apple to tip its hand so that it could make adjustments to respond competitively.

Dell, Acer, and Sony are reportedly all developing iPad competitors in one form or another, with Dell opting to pursue a smaller form factor with its initial foray into the market. Microsoft has also been rumored to be developing its own booklet device, codenamed "Courier".

There's still plenty of skepticism about whether PC companies have the right products to compete against the iPad. Many of the products risk being seen as "computers without keyboards," in part because many of them run an operating system, Microsoft's Windows 7, which is primarily aimed at traditional PC functions, said Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey. In contrast, the iPad's software, which borrows heavily from the iPhone, is more tailored for consuming media on the go, he said.

Wi-Fi-only versions of Apple's iPad are set to launch in late March beginning at $499, with 3G-capable models following in April beginning at $629.

Article Link: HP Looking to Undercut iPad Pricing With 3G-Capable Slate Device

 

[Eidorian]

Don't forget about ASUS. CES looked like everything was on the field but rumors are cropping up more than products or prototypes.

 

[MacDawg]

Should be enough variety and options to go around for everyone

 

[thejakill]

now all the haters can go enjoy their full OS, webcam, multitasking flash players in peace.

 

[cumanzor]

Should be enough variety and options to go around for everyone

This! A million times this!

 

[manhattanboy]

Here's hoping the Slate is awesome and gives Apple a run for their money.

 

[fabulicious]

now all the haters can go enjoy their full OS, webcam, multitasking flash players in peace.

lol And no $30/month for the New York Times, either. They can just go to Google News and read articles -- with flash, mind you -- for free! Ah, those poor "suckers".

But you also forgot USB-using, too. No AT&T failing network virtual traffic jam glut, either. Wow, the benefits keep mounting for a non-MaxiPad slate.

 

[macduke]

Maybe Steve will tap into that flexible price ceiling sooner rather than later? Like hopefully before launch! Hah. Do want.

I always thought the iPad should have 3g standard. Too many models! Simplify it, Apple. I shouldn't have to be the one telling you this. It's in your DNA.

 

[MacMuttonchops]

Has anyone ever wondered why Apple chose such vague, nonspecific dates (60 and 90 days) for when the iPad is scheduled to be released? They have to be ready for sale or they would have given a specific date for release. This has to be gauge competitor's response and be able to lower the price if necessary to cut into that competition. Could be a smart move if that's actually the reason...

 

[CFreymarc]

No surprise here. Leave it to the Wintel crowd to move into anything that is a new form factor trend. I bet it will run Windows Mobile 7 on an Intel Atom.

 

[arn]

Has anyone ever wondered why Apple chose such vague, nonspecific dates (60 and 90 days) for when the iPad is scheduled to be released? They have to be ready for sale or they would have given a specific date for release. This has to be gauge competitor's response and be able to lower the price if necessary to cut into that competition. Could be a smart move if that's actually the reason...

They have to wait for FCC approval, so they might not have known the exact date.

arn

 

[Gregintosh]

If the only thing HP can compete on with the iPad is the price, HP is in serious trouble.

 

[pwagener]

Applications, applications, applications

Any competitor to the iPad will have quite a few things to catch up on. As noted, there aren't any other OS's that have been designed from the ground up around a touch-based interface. But the real clincher here is the App Store and iTunes integration.

Simply put, no other supplier has the momentum behind them to build up a virtuous cycle like the one Apple currently has between the applications (that they sell and get 30% of the revenue on), the hardware (that they make 55% margins on), and the operating system. So, yeah... HP's slate will probably be a great piece of hardware... but I can't play Plants -vs- Zombies on it, nor can I track my projects with OmniFocus. And so on.

I'm not saying there won't be competition in this space -- I'm saying that Apple's offering will continue to be priced at a premium in comparison to other comparable (or possibly even superior) hardware because of the value delivered by the applications and the iTunes marketplace.

 

[ChazUK]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.1-update1; en-gb; Nexus One Build/ERE27) AppleWebKit/530.17 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/530.17)

Is there any chance this may be the rumored Android tablet, not the Windows 7 based one?

 

[billystlyes]

And I can multi-task, watch Flash and install anything I want! Choice is good, very good.

 

[MacMuttonchops]

They have to wait for FCC approval, so they might not have known the exact date.

arn

Ah, that's right.

 

[Eidorian]

Is there any chance this may be the rumored Android tablet, not the Windows 7 based one?

Everyone seems to be tossing Android around.

And I can multi-task, watch Flash and install anything I want! Choice is good, very good.

Windows Media Center...

 

[chunker]

Other tablets will be seen as Apple copycats by the non techie consumers, some are similar in appearance as it is.

Like many, I believe Apple's advantage is in the App Store.

And.....

I think Apple didn't show us their full deck.

 

[cumanzor]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.1-update1; en-gb; Nexus One Build/ERE27) AppleWebKit/530.17 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/530.17)

Is there any chance this may be the rumored Android tablet, not the Windows 7 based one?

Hmm, I haven't heard any rumors about a HP Android tablet.

 

[applesupergeek]

LOL! I'm in the Hater camp when if comes to the iTampon...
So disappointed; where's snow leopard on this portable? That's what I really want.

You should probably stop watching this South Park crap if you want your humor to be better than the toilet variety, iTampon? That is gross and repulsive and others shouldn't have to suffer through this garbage in the forums...

Anyways,

What are they going to run Win 7 with, the friggin atom? This going to have 2 hours battery life like that and be the worst kind of dog in terms of responsiveness.

But anyway, always trust apple's competitors to come out with cheaper junk. Only this time apple has pushed the price so low that they are not going to get any advantage by going 5% under in price with lower specs all around. No advanced arm power managing cpu, no ips display...but a lot of flash!!!!

 

[nutjob]

LOL! I'm in the Hater camp when if comes to the iTampon...
So disappointed; where's snow leopard on this portable? That's what I really want.

Exactly! I want a real computer, not some neutered gadget for plebs.

 

[JeffDM]

Maybe Steve will tap into that flexible price ceiling sooner rather than later? Like hopefully before launch! Hah. Do want.

I always thought the iPad should have 3g standard. Too many models! Simplify it, Apple. I shouldn't have to be the one telling you this. It's in your DNA.

Every time I read a suggestion about the too many models, I keep thinking of the fact that Apple has two price points (was three last year) and nine colors for the iPod nano.

Besides, radios do cost money, and not everyone needs them.

No surprise here. Leave it to the Wintel crowd to move into anything that is a new form factor trend. I bet it will run Windows Mobile 7 on an Intel Atom.

A tablet aren't what I would call a new form factor for Windows.

 

[Gunga Din]

Sweet....

Can't wait to see what HP and Dell have to offer. I'm passing on this 1st Gen iPad but might go for HP or Dell.

 

[kernkraft]

Secrecy, feedback and apps

They have to wait for FCC approval, so they might not have known the exact date.

arn

Also, I assume that they made manufacturing dependent of initial feedback. Who knows, that camera rumour might become true.

Besides, it's always easier to sell a device that has a lot of specially made apps in the App Store.

 

[t0mat0]

So if Microsoft doesn't soon come up with a windows 7 version opinised for a tablet then Apple gets a nice headstart and android follows up for a mainly 2 horse race?

what's the difference between planning and shipping?
Ballmer himself said it was a prototype at CES.

OS adapted and optimised to the tablet size
Apps
Number of developers on board and familiar with the SDK & OS
Integration of hardware & software
Office suite adapted to the format
Carrier deals

distinguishing by price (and cutting into their own profit margin) and hailing the bullet list of hardware features. Course that'll work... But will it get the high end nice profit marin Apple is going for?

Will the others learn and fight Apple at he high end or just scrap for scraps?