Samsung Rethinking Galaxy Tab 10.1 After iPad 2 Unveiling

[Michael Scrip]

It's the combination of the dozens of cheap Asian tabs that will move units. So you'll have a ton of people equating Android with low-quality, low performance (yet low price) devices. Not sure that's a winning strategy.

Exactly.

There were tons of cheaper and some "better" MP3 players than the iPod. Yet people bought an iPod because of the iTunes Store... even if they cost more than the cheap knock-offs that may have had better features.

Apple has this "total package" thing working for them... a music store for the iPod... and an app ecosystem for the iPad.

Those that compete solely on price with the iPad... well... good luck.

 

[KnightWRX]

So then you obviously can tell us how many have been sold?

What does that have to do with shipping in volume ? The fact is Motorola is not doing limited runs, they are ramped up and filling orders.

Seriously, let it go guys. Steve told a fib. It happens. You'll all live.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

What does that have to do with shipping in volume ? The fact is Motorola is not doing limited runs, they are ramped up and filling orders.

Seriously, let it go guys. Steve told a fib. It happens. You'll all live.

Yes everyone. Let it go. If someone wants to be delusional about Jobs and the Zoom, then let him.

 

[DeathChill]

What does that have to do with shipping in volume ? The fact is Motorola is not doing limited runs, they are ramped up and filling orders.

Seriously, let it go guys. Steve told a fib. It happens. You'll all live.

I don't think he told a fib at all; he said the first to ship in volume. I doubt any other dual core tablet has shipped even 1 million units.

 

[cmaier]

As someone familiar with engineering, you obviously know the difference between engineering samples and shipping in volume. This is pretty standard terminology and not in any way related to iPad volumes (people here are trying to say that XOOM is not shipping in iPad-like volume, which is absolutely irrelevant). So, obviously XOOM has been shipping in volume for a few weeks now and dual core DELL Streak 7 has been shipping in volume since January. Apple is just two monts late which by Apple standards is not too bad

What does that have to do with shipping in volume ? The fact is Motorola is not doing limited runs, they are ramped up and filling orders.

Seriously, let it go guys. Steve told a fib. It happens. You'll all live.

You guys are playing semantic games. Steve obviously meant that iPad would be the first to sell in serious quantities. That's all. And he's right.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

Will it be called Zoom for long? Zoom is suing Motorola for using their name.

 

[KnightWRX]

You guys are playing semantic games. Steve obviously meant that iPad would be the first to sell in serious quantities. That's all. And he's right.

That's not what shipping in volume means though. It just means a manufacturer is not doing limited runs. You can be "shipping in volume" and only sending out 1000 units.

So either Steve completely redefined an accepted industry phrase like "shipping in volume" or he told a fib. Neither makes it right.

Why do you feel the need to defend what Steve said ? He's a big kid, he can do it himself.

 

[Michael Scrip]

So either Steve completely redefined an accepted industry phrase like "shipping in volume" or he told a fib. Neither makes it right.

Steve is a cocky CEO who got up on stage and said that Apple's dual-core tablet will sell massive quantities over their competitors' dual-core tablets.

It's called trash-talking... it happens all the time.

What should the CEO of Motorola say in response? "Uh... we've got better specs..."

 

[cmaier]

That's not what shipping in volume means though. It just means a manufacturer is not doing limited runs. You can be "shipping in volume" and only sending out 1000 units.

So either Steve completely redefined an accepted industry phrase like "shipping in volume" or he told a fib. Neither makes it right.

Why do you feel the need to defend what Steve said ? He's a big kid, he can do it himself.

You are missing the whole point. Steve wasn't talking to the "industry." He was talking to his customers. And when you ask a person on the street what it means to be shipping something in "volume" they'll tell you it means "in great quantity."

And your definition is absurd - if shipping in volume meant "only sending out 1000 units," you could bet neither Steve Jobs nor any other rational person would be crowing about it. However, MS or RIM probably would crow about it, I suppose.

 

[Tones2]

For those of you who think that sales volume has anything to do with product quality and not just marketing hype, I have two words for you -

BRITANY SPEARS




Tony

 

[iBMW]

I don't think he told a fib at all; he said the first to ship in volume. I doubt any other dual core tablet has shipped even 1 million units.

The iPad 2 isn't out until the 11th. There are other volume dual core tablets available to buy right now.

 

[DeathChill]

The iPad 2 isn't out until the 11th. There are other volume dual core tablets available to buy right now.

You see, the issue you're having is what defines volume. When Apple says volume they clearly mean a large amount. I think it's fairly easy to say the iPad 2 is the only dual core tablet that will be shipping in large quantities any time soon.

 

[iBMW]

So?

What, you want Apple to custom-design one just for you and a few others?
........snip.........
Just get something else then. Maybe a Xoom or the *next* Galaxy Tab.

Relax, I don't expect Apple to do anything for me. All I'm saying is that not everyone loves the iPad, and that some people want/need something else. Xoom or Tab might just be that. Or not. But having options is a good thing, and ultimately a few alternatives to the iPad 2 will be good for the iPad 3.

 

[linux2mac]

Doesn't matter.

Apple is the world's #1 most admired company - AGAIN! And there's a reason for that.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostadmired/2011/snapshots/670.html

 

[iBMW]

You see, the issue you're having is what defines volume. When Apple says volume they clearly mean a large amount. I think it's fairly easy to say the iPad 2 is the only dual core tablet that will be shipping in large quantities any time soon.

There are high volumes, low volumes, but volume means volume. So even if Motorola Xoom is only shipping in low volumes, it still makes what Steve said not right. It gives the false impression that Apple are first to market with a dual core tablet, which is not so. I think had he said "in high volume", that might have been more accurate, and less misleading.

Of course, to excuse it all we just say... ah he knew that the Xoom was launched to of course he meant 12-million-units-a-quarter volume.

 

[cmaier]

There are high volumes, low volumes, but volume means volume. So even if Motorola Xoom is only shipping in low volumes, it still makes what Steve said not right. It gives the false impression that Apple are first to market with a dual core tablet, which is not so. I think had he said "in high volume", that might have been more accurate, and less misleading.

You are being pedantic. In common usage, "in volume," just like "in quantity," means "a lot."

If "in volume" meant "any volume," as you propose, it would be mere surplussage: "we will be the first to ship IN VOLUME" would mean the same thing as "we will be the first to ship" if "IN VOLUME" meant "any amount." (Because you can't ship zero units and still have shipped something)

 

[iBMW]

Ehh.. Yes they are..

Ehh... No they're not....

 

[KnightWRX]

You are being pedantic. In common usage, "in volume," just like "in quantity," means "a lot."

Too bad that "Shipping in volume" is a well defined concept in any industry and it simply means that you're filling orders and not restricting and limiting quantities of products shipped.

You can find it absurd and want Steve to not have been wrong all you want, but it is what it is. If Steve meant "we'll be the first to ship more!" then he should have simply said that. Again, no reason to dump all over lilo, he's basically right. Even some Fortune bloggers are picking up on it :

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/03/steve-jobs-reality-distortion-takes-its-toll-on-truth/

 

[Tunster]

Please everyone stop saying how the iPad 2 is significantly cheaper than the Xoom. IT"S NOT! The COMPARABLE iPad is the 3G, 32GB model that sells for $729 vs $799 for the Xoom. For that extra $70 you get a free 4G update, another 512 GB of RAM, a microSD slot for infinite expansion, a USB port and HDMI port, better camera quality and support for Flash. That's worth $70 to me certainly, or probably to anyone. Heck, you'd have to pay $40 for the HDMI adapter alone for the iPad 2.

Fair enough, but you have to look at value for money, customer support and software infrastructure. Looking at hardware spec's and cost comparison is only the start, and I think not everyone looks outside that box.

The Xoom won't have...

• The excellent customer support and store base Apple has so you can just walk in and ask questions with no hassle
• The app store has much more apps (even if Steve's figures were a little distorted) and the iTunes integration provides excellent stable backups and software upgrades.
• 4G in most countries is still well away from full deployment, so I'm sure the Xoom will be replaced by the time it arrives
• Better camera? Can't wait to see photographers drop their SLRs in favour of the Xoom and nightclubbers taking photos with their Xoom
• If the Xoom gets more than 10 hours usage in one go with flash support, I'll eat my iPad for breakfast

No doubt the Xoom will be a good alternative. The term good being the only word to use at best. I do still wonder if Android is still as buggy and crashy compared to when I experienced it in it's early days.

 

[iBMW]

You are being pedantic. In common usage, "in volume," just like "in quantity," means "a lot."

If "in volume" meant "any volume," as you propose, it would be mere surplussage: "we will be the first to ship IN VOLUME" would mean the same thing as "we will be the first to ship" if "IN VOLUME" meant "any amount." (Because you can't ship zero units and still have shipped something)

I'm not being pedantic. You're being condescending. In common usage "a lot" could mean anything!

I am not proposing that "in volume" means "any volume", but I have to admit I don't know what surplussage means. But perhaps I'm being pedantic, or condescending, or both.

Motorola Xoom is shipping now, in volume. I doubt that they are trying a sample run of 10 units, or 200 units. They have to be churning them out, expecting to sell at least a few million units or they wouldn't bother. That's volume!

So, what we are down to is that when Steve says "in volume" he means at least as many as the iPad 2.

 

[The Beatles]

I'm glad you raised that example. Doctors walking around the hospital, and all other doctors who are finding a use for the iPad are the same doctors who say that they need internet access all the time. In an ambulance, on the way to the hospital is there wifi? Or making a house call? Maybe where you are from doctors stay in hospital all the time, or maybe wifi is everywhere, but if doctors do need access to internet to access medical databases, then I'm pretty sure that they would like to know they can access it anywhere.

But the iPad was clearly designed for casual users, just look at the way the iPad 2 was launched! It's all about editing movies, playing music, facetime, etc. To them I guess 3G doesn't matter, and that plays out in the sales stats where upwards of 60% of iPads sold are the $499 model. But to me that model would be no real use!

Tablets are only compelling for me if I can use them everywhere I want. The non 3G iPad is limited to use in places where I already have access to a real computer.

ha, funny.
To stay on topic, yes even an iPad just around a hospital...or to break it down even further, a private practice, would be useful.

 

[neko girl]

What Steve meant was:

• There were other tablets before iPad, but they haven't sold significant volumes (nothing that would justify it as a market worthy of attention)
• There have been tables with iPad, but they haven't sold significant volumes. Sure, he misquoted the Samsung exec, but Samsung has yet to post any sales figures. Apple, on the other hand has been completely transparent with sales figures. Typically, when a company doesn't report something (like sales figures), it has something to hide. Samsung's 2 million in channel does not mean 2 million in customer hands.
• Motorola has released a tablet after iPad, but has reported nothing regarding numbers. Their CEO has simply issued a couple of vague statements about how sales are coming along. Again, lacking the transparency that Apple had right around when iPad sales hit 1 month mark.

HP Slate sold a thousand units, too. It is absurd to use the word "volume" with that product, even though it may make sense from a manufacturing point of view.

Until Motorola proves otherwise, with a report of sales numbers, Steve is right. Go ahead and prove him wrong.

 

[firewood]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX
So either Steve completely redefined an accepted industry phrase like "shipping in volume" or he told a fib. Neither makes it right.

It's obvious that this (re)definition was done on purpose:

"You call those volumes? Those are no volumes. These here are volumes!" (said with a fake Aussie accent)

Perfectly right for cutting the other CEO with the small (uh, volumes) down to size.

 

[lilo777]

You are missing the whole point. Steve wasn't talking to the "industry." He was talking to his customers. And when you ask a person on the street what it means to be shipping something in "volume" they'll tell you it means "in great quantity."

And your definition is absurd - if shipping in volume meant "only sending out 1000 units," you could bet neither Steve Jobs nor any other rational person would be crowing about it. However, MS or RIM probably would crow about it, I suppose.

Steve was wrong anyway you look at it. Just check availability of XOOM in Best Buy stores in San Francisco. It's sold out in 4 out of 6 stores. Same story for Boston (4/6). It's sold out in all 6 stores in Portland, OR. SO, it's quite a volume. Besides, if we accept the definition of volume as "in iPad-type volume" this would make the whole Steve point moot because then he would also be able to claim that Apple is the first company to ship "in volume" tablets with screens or CPUs or GPUs or... whatever part you want to claim.

But I could give him a slack. After all he is salesman, not an engineer

 

[Tones2]

Fair enough, but you have to look at value for money, customer support and software infrastructure. Looking at hardware spec's and cost comparison is only the start, and I think not everyone looks outside that box.

The Xoom won't have...

• The excellent customer support and store base Apple has so you can just walk in and ask questions with no hassle
• The app store has much more apps (even if Steve's figures were a little distorted) and the iTunes integration provides excellent stable backups and software upgrades.
• 4G in most countries is still well away from full deployment, so I'm sure the Xoom will be replaced by the time it arrives
  
• Better camera? Can't wait to see photographers drop their SLRs in favour of the Xoom and nightclubbers taking photos with their Xoom
• If the Xoom gets more than 10 hours usage in one go with flash support, I'll eat my iPad for breakfast

No doubt the Xoom will be a good alternative. The term good being the only word to use at best. I do still wonder if Android is still as buggy and crashy compared to when I experienced it in it's early days.

Very weak arguments.

As for 4G, it's certainly readily available in MY area, and even if it takes a year to get to other countries, the Xoom you buy today will still then have it but the iPad 2 will not. You don't have to buy a NEW Xoom next year to get 4G but you will have to buy a new iPad.

As for the camera, I don't see any use for myself, but for those who want to use it, better quality is better.

As for customer support, I can't imagine needing it ever for a tablet.

As for Flash, it may eat battery life, but it's not like you use it continously, just at key times when needed. And at least there's the OPTION to use it for those who don't mind the battery trade off, an option which iPads don't have.

The app store far exceeds the Android equivalent, yes. No comparison. To me it's the single greatest selling point for the iPad and iPhone. Not that it matters, but that's third parties, not Apple making it good.

And let's not forget USB and microSD. Not small things.

But like I said, what's better is opinion. But just don't say it's cheaper, because it's not, and that was my main point.

Tony