The iPad is the biggest electronics release of the year, and consumer demand appears to be matching that image. According to a survey by PriceGrabber [thanks MediaPost], 20 percent of U.S. online consumers plan to buy the iPad in the next 12 months, compared to 12 percent that will buy Amazon’ Kindle; by comparison only six percent want to buy the Sony Reader and five percent will get Barnes & Noble’s Nook.
Of course, the iPad isn’t merely an e-reader like the Kindle. The survey indicated that only 13 percent plan to use their iPad primarily as an e-reader 10 percent see it as an entertainment device, 19 percent perceive it as a replacement for a laptop and 20 percent see it as another “mobile productivity device.”
Interestingly, PriceGrabber found that roughly 80 percent of consumers want to pay less than $250 for an e-reader; the average price of e-readers on PriceGrabber.com is $241. Either consumers are not aware that the iPad costs a minimum of $500 or are simply willing to pay more for Apple’s tablet.
