Apple’s iPad Ze Ling Goh Verna Aguilar Anne Zimmerman

The Apple Retail Store Apple’s first computer came out on April Fool's Day, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs released the Apple I computer and started Apple Computers. The Apple I was the first with a single circuit board used in a computer. Then came the Apple II, the Mac, the MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook air, Mac mini, Mac Pro, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and the iMac

The Apple Retail Store cont. Apple takes off with the introduction of the iPod then the iPhone, iPod classic, iPod touch, iPod nano and now the iPad. Apple also carries all the accessories and programming needed for these items.

iPad The iPad combines the features of the iPhone and the iPod touch. There is over 1,000 apps available for the iPad eg. iBooks Height: 9.56 inches, width: 7.47 inches, depth: 0.5 inch Weight: Approximately 1.5 pounds Prices: Wi-Fi: 16GB 1 - $499.00, 32GB 1 - $599.00, and 64GB 1 - $ Wi-Fi + 3G (data plan sold separately): 16GB - $629.00, 32GB 1 - $729.00, and 64GB 1 - $829.00

“IPad goes on sale to long lines, high expectations” Went on sale on Saturday Offers a user the ability to do everything from watching TV to surfing the Web to sending -- all from a 9.7-inch touch screen with no physical keyboard attached but an onscreen keyboard For Apple, the iPad represents a break from its typical business model Apple has made its name by introducing ground- breaking devices into established markets -- Mac computer, iPod digital music player and iPhone With the iPad, the company is launching a new kind of device into a relatively nascent market

Sales Estimates for the iPad Analysts expect the iPad to sell between 750,000 and 1.5 million units for the quarter ending in June For the full fiscal year, estimates range from as low as 2 million units to as high as 6 million, with the average target at around 3.5 million units

“Analysts say long-term results are more important than opening-weekend sales” The question of how many they sell this year is less important than whether they can they succeed in taking the iPad from the Apple enthusiasts to the mass market The buzz Apple created to make the iPad's debut a national craze and give it tens of millions of dollars in free publicity -- the iPad is on the covers of Newsweek and Time magazines -- could bustNewsweek iPad is too futuristic for the mainstream consumer

S.W.O.T. Strengths Brand Loyalty Innovative Interactive Stores Sleek Design Easily Recognizable Weaknesses Cost to Functionality First day of Sale Availability Limited Cost Range Proprietary Opportunities Problems with PC software Renewable Products International Expansion Threats Increased Competition Phones Mp3 Continued Innovation

Sources expectations ?siteid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campai gn=Feed%3A%20marketwatch%2Fsoftware%20 expectations ?siteid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campai gn=Feed%3A%20marketwatch%2Fsoftware%20 forums.macrumors.com