 The iPad is an ingenious piece of technology developed by Apple. It was announced to the public on the 27 th of January 2010 and was released to the market in April  300,000 units were sold upon its debut, a remarkable achievement for an entirely new product in the market. As of today 14.8 million of Apple iPad has been sold in the market.  Debuted with almost zero competitors and was the ruling force amongst tablet PCs.  By building success upon success, the iPad 2 had been announced and is available in the market since March 11.  The original iPad has been discontinued since March 2, 2011.

 The iPad is half an inch (1.3-cm) thick and weighs 1.5 pounds (0.7 kilograms). It has a color 9.7-inch (24.6-cm) LED-display screen that allows for viewing video in high-definition.  Available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.  Two models of Wi-Fi enabled and Wi-Fi cum 3G enabled.  Battery life of up to 10 hours from a single charge.  Prices start from $499 for a 16GB, Wi-Fi – only model and can go up to $829 for a 64gb, Wi-Fi and 3G enabled model.  Perfectly compatible with all 400,000+ Apple Apps, including apps from iPod Touch, iPhone etc.

 The Zagg Invisible Shield would be an ideal screen protector for the new and pricy toy that one would have bought. It serves as an outer epidermis to the screen of the iPad, withstanding the brunt of impacts dealt to the tablet pc, be it in the form of scratches, knocks etc.  A favorite amongst motorists, the iPad Car Charger. This is by far one of the cheapest iPad accessories and also one of the most useful: a car charger. It will come in handy if you travel a lot, enabling users to directly refill the juices of their iPad at the expense of siphoning electricity from their vehicle itself. As a plus the cable retains its original shape after extended periods of use. Safety is an important matter so the charger features integrated electrical fuse to prevent damage to the iPad or its internal battery.  Amongst the most important accessories and complements of the Apple iPad, the Apps compatible to the product is the key driving force behind why the iPad is bought in the first place. It is the very foundation and steering wheel behind the consumer’s demand for the iPad. Without the App Store, there can be no iPad.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab. e Total Sales figure as of January 2011, 2 Million The Motorola Xoom Released recently, undisclosed sales figures. Aspire 1825PST Released recently, undisclosed sales figures.

Producers’ Point of view  Problems that Apple face:  Competition faced with the rise of other substitutes in the Tablet PC market  Unforeseen disasters that led to shortage in resources for the production of the Apple iPad  Advantages that Apple received:  Global income is increasing due to the booming economy. Applying the Income Elasticity of Demand (YED), as the Apple iPad is a luxury good, the increase in income would lead to and increase in the demand of the good.  As Apple products are highly regarded by the majority of consumers due to it being heralded as an established franchise in the market. Therefore even with the advent of competitors, the iPad will still be ranked relatively high among other brands.

Consumers ’ Point of View  Factors affecting the choices of consumers:  As the Apps available to the market is a direct complement goods to the iPad, the increase in the prices of Apps would further deter consumers from purchasing the products, thereby reducing the demand for iPad in the market.  Due to the rise in the competition of the various available Tablet PCs, consumers tend to choose their preferred gadget based upon their personal taste and preferences.

Angel Yuan Chen Jing Yi Jia Yu Kalinda Alita