the latest iPhone is thinner, faster, and adds that not one but two cameras. But as Apple (AAPL: 393.30, 6.01, 1.55%), Steve Jobs, CEO praised new features of the device at present, many consumers had only one real question: Should I buy one?
One thing is certain: the Tablet fever does not seem to go away. Apple already sells most of the pills last year, about 15 million units - about 85% of the tablet market - which generated $ 9.5 billion in revenue for the company. This year dozens of competitors is expected to debut in competition Tablet PC, and sales of tablets through the board is expected to triple. Samsung and Motorola Mobility (MMI: 24.61, -0.58, -2.30%) tablets are available, the devices from Research in Motion (RIMM: 27.91, -0.01, -0.04%), HP and HTC is expected in late this year.
With a considerable advantage, the iPhone remains the tablet to overcome, analysts said. "They're raising the bar for others," says Joseph Beaulieu, analyst with Morningstar. Competitors have yet to create something that is so easy to use, fast and handsome, critics say. In addition, the losers are not cheaper: Big names are already on the market range from $ 500 (also the price of entry-level new iPad 2) to $ 900 depending on memory and if you want the ability to connect a service provider. Starting today, all are more expensive than first-generation iPhone, which now starts at $ 400, Apple announced today.
But unlike a cell phone or a computer in its own right, tablets still fall into the "tech toys" category. "It's something you want, not something you have to have," says Jeff Orr, senior analyst at ABI Research. What can the tablets is still limited: Touch screen keyboards are not great for writing, a minimum storage based applications, many of which will not work if there is no internet connection. Do you want a constant connection? That will cost you: The devices that can access the wireless carriers' networks are more expensive to begin with, and may require the additional burden of a contract of two years of data in an extra $ 20 to $ 80 per month.
Of course, there is a market device that is portable, lightweight, plenty of memory and multimedia features most users want. It's called a laptop, and experts say they still are better than tablets for users who want something that is actually functional. Download application software for the productivity wins and does not require an Internet connection to work well, says Orr. It is easily twice the storage capacity for all the media you're viewing, and a DVD for those who are not ready to transmit. And users interested in a multimedia device that supports Flash, that capability is still widely available - even Apple products, despite the company's decision not to support technology in the iPad. They are much cheaper, says Orr: A basic but decent laptop costs about $ 350 30% less than the cost of the cheapest IPAD.