who are preparing their own iPad killer

Stop the buzz, the reality o the market place. Un eiled on 27 January by Ste e Jobs in San rancisco, marketed in the United States on April 3, iPad, the Apple touch tablet, is a ailable rom tomorrow in rance as well as eight other countries. What inally assess its economic potential. O course, the irst indicators are good: 1 million iPad ha e already sold in the US in a month between April and may, which is a startup much aster than the iPhone, which had de eloped se enty- our days to reach this milestone. Without su icient stocks, Apple had to postpone one month the date o the international launch. O these beginnings in an are analysis irms are optimistic: RBC Capital Market estimated that between 5 and 8 million iPad should elapse in the world by 2010, and G K table on sales between 400,000 and 450,000 rance coins.

Yet the question remains whole: the iPad will be a great public success or a niche product Potential success story o the amous tablet will indeed depend on se eral criteria. The quality o the product itsel is little doubt. Its ergonomics, largely inspired by that o an iPhone (same touch "multi-touch", same browser, same use o the Appstore) is simple and instincti e, and its screen size promises new uses (read below)... pro ided that the applications are in height. "Now it is be ore all the work o de elopers who will be the success o the iPad." "This has largely occurred on the iPhone as well as ideo games, on which the content has always been important compared to the equipment", j. rancois Klip el, Deputy Director General o G K. beginning o may, 5,000 applications had already been de eloped or the iPad.

Too dear Tablet

Another query: marketed rom 499 EUR 599 euros or the 3 G and Wi - i ersion, the Tablet is not expensi e or a consumer product So it must be added to the users o the 3 G ersion, a package agreed with an operator and the addition o other de ices. While high-tech consumer habit to pay less or products with a high technological density, this high positioning o range is a risky bet, e en i it is part o Apple's DNA. The Mac are always located in the high range o the market - 1,000 euros on a erage in rance in 2009, against 640 euros or competitors-, just like its iPod are at the top o the segment o the MP3. Ne ertheless: I the iPhone was subsidized by operators (at its launch in rance end o 2007, it was sold to 749 euros without subscription and 399 euros with subscription), the irm Apple chose the moment to do without the ser ices o Orange, S R and Bouygues Telecom.

Not what cool sector analysts. On the one hand, because the rench ha e an appetite or technology without merits. "Expenditure o households or digital products ha e exploded 76 o er the past 13 years." The high-tech is a position still more important in their budget. "They do not hesitate to cut corners and other expenses to a ord products, especially when it comes to breakdown products", judge rançois Klip lel. Another point: Apple could e ol e its distribution model. Yesterday, a ter an inter iew with Ste e Jobs, Stéphane Richard, the pattern o rance Telecom, told site Capital. r that the operator should "distribute the iPad in the all o the Orange shops.

Must there ore await to see i the iPad is a landmark in the history o the digital. But, already, the Apple Tablet has the merit o ha ing shaken the market, as e idenced by the bustle o other manu acturers (HP, Samsung, LG, Asus, Google...), who are preparing their own "iPad killer".

All about the iPad on lesechos. r/dossierlesechos. r/dossier