Consumers say 'iWant an iPad'

Given the initial flurry of skepticism and outright hostility that greeted the iPad tablet device upon its official announcement late last month, many assumed Apple was poised to introduce a failure of epic proportions, a misstep to live in infamy alongside the Edsel, New Coke and the Segway. But think again: A new study published by RBC/ChangeWave Research indicates that consumer demand for the iPad actually surpasses initial interest in Apple's iPhone on the eve of its debut three years ago. Thirteen percent of consumers tell ChangeWave they are either somewhat or very likely to purchase the iPad, compared to only 9 percent who expressed comparable interest in the original iPhone. No less impressive, the iPad seems to have piqued the interest of a wide cross-section of tech adopters--19 percent of prospective iPad buyers say they are most interested in the 16GB, WiFi-only version, priced at $499, with another 19 percent indicating their preference is the 64GB iPad with both WiFi and 3G access, priced at $829. Twelve percent of respondents favor the 32GB, WiFi-only iPad ($599), 10 percent want the 32GB WiFi/3G version ($729), 9 percent are purchasing the 16GB WiFi/3G unit ($629) and 8 percent are targeting the 64GB, WiFi-only model. (A third of respondents still don't know which version they'll purchase.)

Among planned uses for the iPad, 68 percent of respondents say they are most interested in surfing the Internet--44 percent are looking to check email, 37 percent plan to read ebooks, 28 percent will read magazines and newspapers, and 24 percent will watch video content. Web surfing via non-phone devices is surging even in advance of the iPad's release: According to mobile advertising firm AdMob's latest Mobile Metrics Report, web-enabled portable hardware generated 17 percent of U.S. mobile ad requests in January, compared to 12 percent in July 2009. The AdMob study also checks in with iPad consumer data of its own, reporting that among consumers asked if they own a mobile Internet device or if they plan to purchase one within the next six months, iPhone users showed the highest level of interest in purchasing an iPad at 16 percent, compared to 11 percent of Palm webOS users and just 6 percent of Android users--about the same percentage who expressed interest in buying an Amazon Kindle ereader.

Despite their opposing perspectives on tablet devices, the AdMob study indicates iPhone users and Android users aren't really so different after all. Both demographics download roughly the same total number of applications to their smartphones (about nine per month) and spend about the same amount of time using them (roughly 80 minutes per day). But both iPhone and Android users pale in comparison to iPod touch owners--more than three quarters of them under the age of 24--who download an average of 12 applications a month and devote an average of 100 minutes per day to using them. A month ago, some pundits dismissed the iPad as little more than an iPod touch on steroids--if the new device can cultivate similar consumer enthusiasm for new applications and experiences, Apple will no doubt consider those iPod comparisons flattery, not derision. -Jason