Taiwanese tech site DigiTimes reaffirmed their assessment that the rumored release of the third installation of the iPad could bring the prices of tablets even higher.
The website was firm in their belief that Apple will be releasing newer versions of their iPad aimed at “high-end segment” and “the midrange” while still offering their iPad 2.
They said that, “with the existing iPad 2, the Apple tablet series may cover all price-segments-from entry-level to high-end. Apple’s pricing strategy for its iPad series is crucial to the tablet market. It remains to be seen at what price level Apple will set its entry-level iPad. For Wi-Fi-only models, U.S. $299, U.S. $349 or U.S. $399 may all be possible.”
There used to be a $299 iPad before. It was Apple’s first generation tablet and only sold at fire sale prices through other carriers after they released their latest version which is the iPad 2.
After the subsequent rise of Apple’s tablets, rivals have come upfront and challenged them. Amazon’s Kindle Fire, which debuted last year, sold at $199. Though not as great as the latest iPad, it sold at half of the latter’s price. And reports have been circulating that the Fire sold over a million tablets a week last December.
Apple didn’t budge and it seems like they are not much affected by the rise of the Android tablets. Apple still sells the iPad at the same rate as they did before. Their 16GB model with Wi-Fi is pegged at $499.
Though Apple makes price cuts in their products, it is but a rare instance when they do. This includes the time when they gave a $200 discount on their original iPhone two months after its release. Then there was the $500 price off the first-gen MacBook Air.
