The category of netbooks is young and growing, but a new survey suggests it could be stifled by Apple’s iPad. Electronics site Retrevo said its research showed as many as 30 percent of potential netbook buyers held off buying a netbook until Apple’s tablet was launched in January, and eventually bought the iPad instead.
The study also found that, of those who initially held back, 40 percent eventually bought a netbook, and the remaining 30 percent were not influenced by the iPad’s launch.
‘Small and Light’
But, more ominously for netbook makers, the survey found that, of those now considering whether to buy an iPad or a netbook, an overwhelming 78 percent are leaning toward the iPad while only 22 percent are inclined toward a netbook.
The iPad isn’t the only device category getting in the way of netbooks’ growth. With laptops getting lighter and cheaper, 65 percent of those who had to decide between the two form factors in the last year chose a laptop, compared to 35 percent for the netbook. The split is exactly the same for consumers leaning one way or the other who are facing that decision in the coming year.
Netbooks are generally selling in the $200 to $400 range, and price has often been mentioned as a key driver for purchases in the category. But Retrevo’s survey indicates that, with the price of lower-end laptops approaching the top end of netbooks’ cost, price isn’t a key attraction for netbooks.
Fifty-four percent of those surveyed said that being “small and light” was the key attraction for netbooks. Price was nearly tied for second place with battery life, at 20 and 19 percent, respectively. Seven percent of respondents indicated other, unnamed factors.
Netbooks are frequently based on Intel’s Atom chipset, have a small form factor, cost a few…