I love the movie “Searching for Bobby Fischer” and I think that most who’ve seen it would agree that the best scene in the movie is when young Josh offers his opponent a draw, saying: “You’ve already lost, you just don’t know it yet.”
When it comes to the tablet device game, this might as well be Apple’s slogan. The iPad already reigns supreme in early adoption and while other companies (Motorola, HTC, Samsung, etc.) are rushing to get their own competing devices to market, I don’t know if they realize that they’ve already lost.
Sure, they might compete when it comes to specifications - the Xoom even has the current iPod outmatched with it’s dual-core processor, higher resolution screen, additional memory, better camera, and so-on. That pretty much concludes the discussion of where current tablets best the iPad, though.
In the technological chess-match currently unfolding, here is where the competition has already lost.
Operating System - While Android has made great leaps and bounds in trying to catch up with iOS, it still isn’t there yet. Even when it comes to cellphones, an area in which Android outnumbers iOS, it has taken a custom-modded ROM (Cyanogen) to deliver the performance and features and experience that I want from my phone. On paper at least, Android can match what the iPad can do, but the experience is far different.
Apps / Content - First of all, there are just more applications available in the iTunes app store right now. Because of this, game creators, media outlets, and technology companies are going to create their apps for iOS first. Second, love it or hate it, the fact that Apple maintains a stringent approval process for applications tends to weed out more of the crap than does Android. Finally, not only does the iPad offer more applications it also provides seamless access to all sorts of content. I don’t think that users are going to be satisfied with only hulu, youtube, and manually managing new media on competing devices.
Price - The iPad isn’t cheap, but the fact remains that the entry-level model comes in at $499. Other options, such as the Samsung Tab, can be found for a lower price point, but not without a $30+ monthly data plan and a two-year commitment. The Xoom might boast impressive specs, but at $800 I don’t see a compelling case for paying up for it at this point.
Apple has made a bit of noise over the past few months regarding their efforts to buy up supplies of components well in advance. Not only does this allow them to get parts at a discount, but it means that competing devices are going to have to scramble to find suppliers and pay more for the same stuff when they do.
Availability - This may be the most important reason of all. The Mororola Xoom or the RIM Playbook sound great and all… but you still can’t buy one! What happens if Apple announces and releases it’s second generation iPad (which many rumors suggest could happen as early as next month) and the competition still hasn’t gotten their own products to market? More people who have been waiting to get into the tablet game might go ahead and pull the trigger instead of waiting any longer. For every person that goes with Apple, that’s one less from the pool of folks that have to be split up by all the rest.
At the end of the day I know that technology companies are going to try and capitalize on any new market, but throwing yourself headfirst into a losing battle just isn’t smart. Learn a lesson from very recent history: when Apple brought the iPod to market the boom was on. Companies like iRiver, Sansa, and even Microsoft with its ‘Zune’ tried to get in on the game, but did any of them come close to competing? Did anyone even turn a profit?
Competition is essential, but rushing a half-baked product to market helps nobody.
Let us know! What are your thoughts? Who’s the ultimate winner in your book?
