After watching a video (Link to the video: Motorola Xoom) comparing the iPad and one of the to-be-released tablets has confirmed my belief of tablets in the Introduction stage in the product life cycle. It is hard to imagine that one company can influence the technology market in such magnitudes. Seemingly, Apple can make any new product category the new trend at its will. This is because of the strong brand image that Apple possesses. They’ve promised innovation and quality and they’ve delivered those in their products.
Furthermore, Tablets are expected to be the new trend in the technology markets. Apple, being the first one to invigorate the tablet market has already gained a first-mover;s advantage; now, Apple will be expecting competition from a variety of major brands such as, Motorola, HP, Blackberry and Samsung. If the demand is as great as expected by the industry, then it is obvious that many more competitors will enter the tablet market. Since all the brands will be promoting their new tablets at approximately the same time, consumers will choose the company with the best product mix. For instance, the reviewer of the new Motorola Zoom espeically considered the price of the product and the specifications of the new tablets – he emphasizes the need for differentiation.
To beat Apple, who has a strong brand image, competitors must provide the same quality in their tablets while cutting prices. I would definitely take into account the price of a tablet along with its specifications, disregarding which company it was from, since these companies are all well established.