Apple iPad: A New Computing Paradigm or the iPhone on Steroids?

The Apple iPad will be shipping April 3, 2010. If you have already pre-ordered, you will get it at that time. If you still need to order the iPad, you will be waiting until after April 12. According to recent news items, the pre-order levels may have exceeded Apple’s initial expectations.

Apple experienced a huge surge in orders the first day pre-orders were available. Pre-orders have fallen to a slow but steady pace ever since. After two weeks of orders it appears that approximately 240K pre-orders are on the books. Now the question is not so much whether Apple can deliver the product on time, but can it deliver on the hype?

There are high expectations for the iPad, but is the hype just Apple’s loyal following? What will Apple offer to make the iPad attractive to the mass market? How will the iPad compete with e-readers and netbooks? What is the market potential for tablet PCs? What are some of the issues for the semiconductor industry and what are the business opportunities for chip vendors?

Semico Research has prepared a market brief, “Apple iPad: A New Computing Paradigm or the iPhone on Steroids?” Semico examines various questions and issues around the iPad and tablet PCs in general. The market segment of tablet PCs has yet to truly emerge. This market brief will address some of the competitive factors that are likely to influence its development.