The iPad Has Landed!
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
After several months of speculation and rumors Apple has finally launched revealed their newest product, the iPad. For years tech blogs have been buzzing about a new Apple tablet to follow up their old tablet product The Newton and it has finally arrived. What is it exactly? What does it do? What doesn’t it do? And how can it change the face of advertising?
The iPad can be best described as a convergence between the iPhone and a Macbook, fusing together specifications from both product lines. Initially it looks like nothing more than a giant iPhone, utilizing an improved operating system based on the iPhone OS. It also has about the same thickness measured at a half inch. The screen is slightly smaller than a Macbook’s with 9.7 diagonal inches of screen and has 1024×768 resolution. Apple has reported that the battery can last about ten hours on constant use with a one-month standby rating! This would make the iPad an excellent travel companion. Models will support Wi-Fi and some will also support 3G. Unfortunately, it seems that AT&T may be the only provider at this point, which is bad news for their already terrible 3G coverage. Navigating the system is done by hand utilizing a touch screen similar to the iPhone. The touch keyboard should be a bit easier to use than the iPhone, as it is nearly life size and can be typed on using fingers instead of just thumbs. It would still be awkward to type on but a definite improvement over the iPhone. By taking technologies from the iPhone they are ensuring that the new product will have a small learning curve and will be easily adopted by current iPhone users.
The interface seems pretty good, but what about media and apps? The tablet handles various types of media like music, pictures and video, supporting 720p HD playback using iTunes as the default player. The iTunes software for the tablet is a redesigned hybrid between the mobile iPod interface and the full iTunes program including features from both for improved functionality. Videos can also be enjoyed using a YouTube app similar to the iPhone’s. Speaking of apps, the iPad will have full support of all iPhone apps as well as some new apps made specifically for the iPad. Its also been confirmed that iPhone users can transfer their apps to the iPad so they don’t have to buy them again.
Apple also plans to use their iPad to compete directly with Amazon’s Kindle. With the iPad’s release they will enter the eBook market with a new program appropriately named iBooks. They have also designed a new iWork suite specifically for the tablet including new versions of Keynote, Pages, and Numbers with new interfaces designed for the touch screen.
As great as this new product seems, there are a few things that I would want to see before I would drop over $600 on a tablet. My biggest problem is it does not support multitasking. You can’t listen to music while writing in a word processor or open twitter while browsing the internet. Most professionals wouldn’t even consider using the iPad as an alternative to their computer without the ability to multitask. Another obvious improvement would be adding a camera. The current design doesn’t include a camera so there is no possibility for taking pictures or using iChat. Also, this makes the incorporation of augmented reality apps impossible. The other glaring problem is it does not support Flash making it unable to view streaming video directly from web sites while leaving wide barren gaps in web pages you are viewing. When most sites utilize flash and one of the main selling points of the product is using it to surf the web, it is paramount that Flash is supported. Lastly, the name; iPad. Since its introduction this morning there have been quite a few allusions made on tech blogs comparing the tablet’s name to feminine hygiene products. While my mind doesn’t immediately go there, I think they could have come up with something a little better. Just think of how difficult it’s going to be differentiating between an iPad and an iPod in Boston.
This new product has the potential of being awesome; it combines the functionality and interface of the iPhone with more programs like iWork and their new iBooks software. The new iWork software would make this perfect for giving impromptu presentations using Keynote to clients and a few improvements like Flash support, an HDMI port, and widescreen would make it perfect for media. Problems aside, it is sure to sell out and open the door to tablet computing.
Now that we have a firm understanding of what the iPad is and what it can do, how can it be used for advertising? With the increased screen size and potential for media viewing plus increased functionality with the touch screen and internet connectivity there is great potential to improve the mobile advertising/interactive advertising experience.
With 3G connectivity, the iPad is always aware of your location so location based ads in real time are a definite possibility. Also, with the larger screen, there will be increased media consumption on the iPad potentially using its technology to introduce a new medium for interactive advertising. The iTunes store could offer media specifically made to view on the iPad that could utilize the touch screen to make movies and shows more interactive for the viewer. This could enable the user to touch the screen and link to a product being shown in the media or directly answer a call to action from a mobile ad. With the ability to literally touch what you are viewing, branded apps have the capability of being more interactive. The iPad is also expected to improve the gaming experience of Apple products with its improved screen and functionality so in-game advertising could be applied to game apps. Lastly, the new iBook capabilities could reinvigorate traditional print ads. Newspaper and magazine ads could take back their audience when the content is viewed through an iPad. Also, while reading through and viewing an ad the user would now have the capability to touch the ad and link directly to the offer.
To conclude, the iPad may not be perfect but it opens up seemingly limitless possibilities for advertising that have never been realized before. With the potential for highly interactive ads, direct connectivity, and the possible re-emergence of newspaper ads through iBook, the iPad could become the next great medium for advertising.
The iPad tablet will ship in 60 days to America and only the Wi-FI models will be available internationally.
