iPad will take time to hit Indian market

Craving to get your hands on the Apple iPad? Wait for a while as it will be
still some time before it becomes available in the Indian market. However,
experts also believe that the tablet will create a new user segment in India.

Unveiled in April, the iPad lets users browse the web, read and send email,
share photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games, read e-books and much
more. The 9.7 inch touchscreen tablet is just 0.5 inches thick and weighs just
1.5 pounds-thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook-and delivers battery
life of up to 10 hours.

The product, touted as a device between smartphone and a laptop, was
officially launched in the US market on April 3. Prices in the US start at $499
and the most advanced model costs $829. But Indians customers who are eagerly
waiting to try the 'game changing product', as it is often called, will have to
wait for some more time.

"iPad will be available in both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models in late April in
Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.
International pricing will be announced in April. iPad will ship in additional
countries later this year," said an official release.

Industry observers in the US believe the iPad could well outsell the Apple's
iPhone, launched in 2007, of which one million had been sold after 74 days on
shop shelves.

However, considering price sensitive Indian market where consumers always
look for a package product seeking maximum features in lowest possible amount,
iPad may remain limited to the upper middle class segment only.

According to technology experts, besides the great features iPad has
constraints too like it cannot multi-task, doesn't have a external keyboard,
disk drive or a USB drive. The experts believe it would create a niche market
for itself and emerge as a lifestyle product and not a mass product in India.

"This product will create a new class. But given the Indian market scenario,
iPad it is not going to have a mass market. It will be a niche product and it
will be a lifestyle product," said Akhilesh Tuteja, Executive Director, KPMG.

"To start with, it will have buyers who would like to experience it. It will
create a class of its own. For a complete experience, one needs to have
peripherals. But iPad doesn't have an external keyboard, no USB drive and disk
drive," Tuteja told IANS.

Explaining further, Tuteja said the secret to iPad's success lies in the
applications."The product is not the game changer. It is the applications on it,
that would change the game and may take away the need of carrying laptop,"
Tuteja added.

Mahesh Uppal, a telecommunication expert, said: "It is a very powerful
product. Once 3G (third generation) services are in place in Indian market, then
it will be much better."

After it was unveiled by Apple in January, iPad was stated to be the next big
thing to hit the market after iPhone. Creating a new segment, the device tries
to blend in best features of a laptop, smartphone, book reader and offers a
number of other services.

Technology lovers in India are keenly waiting to experience the new age
device.

Mayank Aggarwal

Courtesy: CIOL