iPad 02: Competitive Analysis

The iPad was the first, but it is far from the only tablet/touch screen on the market. Numerous other competitors exist such as the Slate from HP, the Adam from Notion Ink, the JooJoo from Fushion Garage, and the Home from Archos, to name a few of the early competitors. Fortunately, Apple’s move onto the market as well as their solid customer base (not to mention the high quality of design and function) propelled the iPad to the head of the game in the touchpad/tablet marketplace. That current status aside serious competition is on its way, namely in the form of Android (Google) based products featuring the Android operating system as opposed to Apple’s IOS. That leaves advertising alone to either widen or lessen the gap between apple and the rest. “Most people think of advertising as all forms of paid promotional communication conveyed by a mass medium, such as television, radio, the internet, or print.” (Landa, p. 34) The gap is already there, now it’s time to widen it.
As seen in the cell phone market, Google (Android) is currently the main competition for Apple. But in terms of simplicity and usability Apple stands far ahead, but Google is beginning to catch up. One of the reasons for the closing of the competitive gap is the fact that Apple’s previous ad campaigns have catered more towards their existing customer base, relying on style and innovation to keep them ingrained in the hearts of their current customers. : “Providing a rationale for a functional benefit can turn consumers into believers.” (Landa, p. 75) And it has worked. But now that competition has become more fierce it is time to expand that advertising reach to new customers who don’t buy into Apple’s slick marketing, who need that small nudge of information and reason mixed with emotional content to truly understand and embrace Apple as a real part of their lives.

As for the direct competition that is immediately affecting Apple…well, there is none. At least no yet. Most high end (big name) brands with iPad competition have forced themselves to push the release dates of their products back until the fall. : “…in today’s competitive marketplace, where most advertisers believe that visual style and spirit sell a parity product, in’s an underlying creative idea that can make an ad touting a benefit stand out…” (Landa, p. 101) And though the real competition will be coming out very soon and the state of the market is going to change, it gives Apple plenty of time to solidify their place in the market, and to firm up their plans for the future of gaining even more market share.