Waiting To See If The Hype Overshadows The iPad
Hands on the new Apple iPad tablet computer. - The iPad contains no major new technology, which meant it got a big ho-hum from some analysts. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
After months of speculation and weeks of rumors flying around the Internet, Apple finally unveiled its tablet computer Wednesday in San Francisco.
"We want to kick off 2010 by introducing a truly magical and revolutionary product," CEO Steve Jobs proclaimed as he introduced the iPad. He didn't want to play down any of the hype that had built up before its unveiling.
Here are the basics of the iPad: It's got a 9.7-inch touch screen and a big virtual keyboard. It uses an iPhone operating system and it runs iPhone apps. It doesn't make phone calls and it can't take photos. The iPad connects to iTunes, which will have a bookstore for users to fill the the iPad's lovely color e-reader.
There was no major new technology, which meant it got a big ho-hum from some analysts.
"The iPad had the opportunity to create a completely new consumer device category, and it didn't," said James McQuivey of Forrester Research. He was hoping Apple would create a device that took advantage of social networking.
For example, imagine you are in Paris with the family. You want to send photos to Grandma back in New Jersey. McQuivey was hoping Grandma could turn on her iPad and voila — there would be pictures.
"People across multiple generations could say, 'I want an iPad because it helps connect me to my friends and family in a way I can't right now.' This device doesn't," McQuivey said.
Not everyone is quite as disappointed as McQuivey. Gartner analyst Michael McGuire points out no one was terribly excited about the first iPod, either. He thinks Apple is looking at the iPad as a starting point, just like that first iPod.
"It grew and they iterated it quickly. I think they might be looking at that same kind of cycle," McGuire said.
Part of the growth of the iPad depends on outside companies writing new apps. McGuire admits that if the iPad is going to kick off a revolution, that wasn't evident Wednesday.
And with a price tag between $499 and $829 — plus the option of a monthly data plan bill that's as much as $30 — it's not clear that Apple has given consumers a reason yet to buy an iPad.
9(MDAyNzUwMDI2MDEyNTA3MTU5NzcyNTQyNA004))
ARI SHAPIRO, host:
The massive hype surrounding Apples latest product release was captured by the satirical newspaper The Onion. Before yesterdays announcement, The Onions mock headline read: Frantic Steve Jobs Stays Up All Night Designing Apple Tablet.
STEVE INSKEEP, host:
After supposedly forgetting about the announcement until the last minute, Jobs has described gluing nine iPhones onto a cafeteria tray and calling it Apples new product.
SHAPIRO: Well, the real rollout of whats known as the iPad was a good deal more choreographed.
NPRs Laura Sydell samples some of the reaction.
LAURA SYDELL: Apple CEO Steve Jobs certainly didnt play down all the hype.
Mr. STEVE JOBS (CEO, Apple): We want to kick off 2010 by introducing a truly magical and revolutionary product today.
SYDELL: Jobs and a team of other presenters went on for over an hour and a half about the virtues of the new iPad. Here are some of the basics. Its got a 9.7-inch touch screen. Its got a big virtual keyboard. The iPad connects to iTunes. iTunes will now have a bookstore, and the iPad is a lovely color eReader. There was no major new technology. It got a big ho-hum from some analysts.
Mr. JAMES MCQUIVEY (Analyst, Forrester Research): The iPad had the opportunity to create a completely new consumer device category and it didnt.
SYDELL: Thats James McQuivey of Forrester Research. He thinks the iPad is basically just a large iPod touch. It uses the iPhone operating system. It runs iPhone apps, but it doesnt make phone calls, and it cant take pictures. McQuivey was hoping that Apple would create a device that took advantage of social networking.
He has this fantasy: Imagine you are in Paris with the family. You want to send photos to grandma back in New Jersey. McQuivey was hoping grandma could turn on her iPad and - voila, there would be pictures.
Mr. MCQUIVEY: So the people across multiple generations are going to say I want an iPad because it helps connect me to my family and my friends in a way that I can't right now. And this device does it.
SYDELL: Not everyone is quite as disappointed as McQuivey. Gartner analyst Michael McGuire points out no one was terribly excited about the first iPod.
Mr. MICHAEL MCGUIRE (Analyst, Gartner): It grew. They iterated it quickly. And I think we might be looking at that same kind of a cycle.
SYDELL: The first iPads won't hit the market for another two months; however, Apple has released a software development kit so that other companies can create new applications. In that time, McGuire things the right application could make a difference.
Mr. MCGUIRE: You could look at this as the first stake in the ground, if you will, as opposed to, well, it didn't meet all of the hype.
SYDELL: But McGuire admits that if the iPad is going to kick off a revolution, that wasn't evident yesterday. And with a price tag between $499 and $829 plus as much as $30 if you want 3G it's not clear that Apple has yet given consumers a reason to buy an iPad.
Laura Sydell, NPR News, San Francisco. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
