There may be plenty of media buzz about Apple’s expected tablet launch next week, but only a small number of people surveyed in advance are likely to buy one. A poll of 3,314 consumers released this week by ChangeWave Research found that four percent said they are likely to buy the Apple tablet, while 14 percent were somewhat likely. That’s not bad considering no one outside Apple’s Cupertino, Calif., headquarters has actually seen the device.
But clearly Apple has some brand building to do, and with low-cost netbooks, smartbooks and Amazon’s Kindle to compete with, Wednesday’s launch will have to quickly set the new device apart from the pack.
“Consumers are on a quest for value, and that’s one reason the netbooks and smartbooks have been so popular in the $300-500 range,” said Steve Koenig, director of industry analysis for the Consumer Electronics Association. “They offer a lot of features that consumers want and adequate performance.”
“The key to getting consumers to open their wallets is continuing the value proposition of the tablet above and beyond standard netbooks, and that may be a challenge to articulate,” he added. “Consumers have limited experience with touchscreens and the key is really communicating why you should pay more to a have [an Apple] tablet.”
Industry analysts expect that Wednesday’s new Apple product will be the iSlate, a Wi-Fi device with a 10-inch touchscreen, a 3-D interface, a virtual keyboard designed to easily interact with the iTunes Store and the App Store, and available in March. Apple is reportedly making deals with numerous entertainment providers for content. Some analysts say the device will likely cost in the $1,000 range, or slightly cheaper than a MacBook.
The ChangeWave survey and another by Retrevo Pulse, a consumer electronics shopping site, found that most consumers would not pay more than $700…