A tablet pc for many isnt seen as a laptop replacement, neither is it a replacement for your mobile phone. Its an extra, nice to have gadget that is trying to create a place in the market and more importantly a place on peoples must have list.

 

If we consider how the majority of smart phones are sold, the cost of the handset is heavily subsidised or waived by the mobile network provider who recoups the cost over a 12, 18 or more commonly 24 month calls, text and date contract. There are very few customers that buy their handset unlocked and sim free, given the £350 to £500 price tag that usually accompanies them.

 

Apple finds itself in a unique position due to its large following of peopl ewith trend setters with deep pockets who are willing to pay over the odds just to have the latest Apple product to add to their portfolio. Other manufacturers do not have the same sort of following and so will have to price their devices cleverly. Many will be subsidised by network carriers and come with a monthly data bundle. I for one do not want another monthly cost on top of our home broadband and line rental and our mobile line rental for a device that will replace neither my mobile nor my laptop.

 

How manufacturers address this challenge will be interesting to see but I for one wont be closing my laptop for the last time anytime soon.