As Motorola prepares to launch the first tablet computer running Google’s Android 3.0, the company is being tight-lipped about pricing for the device that it began advertising during the Super Bowl. A company spokesperson declined to comment on a report that the dual-core tablet with a 10.1-inch screen and front-and-back cameras will sell for a whopping $800.
That’s almost the price of Apple’s top-shelf iPad, the 32-gigabyte, 3G-enabled model. “We cannot comment on the pricing of the Motorola Xoom at this time,” Kira Godin told us via e-mail.
Data Plan Required?
Engadget on Sunday featured what it said was a leaked ad from Best Buy featuring the Xoom listed at $799.99, with a Feb. 24 launch date. The ad didn’t mention variable versions. The Xoom will also be sold by Verizon Wireless, which will provide 3G data service.
In an unusual twist, the ad’s fine print suggests that a data plan is mandatory, at least at the time of purchase. “To activate Wi-Fi functionality on this device, a minimum of one month data subscription is required,” it said.
Engadget noted that the flier contains typographical errors, which could be an indication of either a preliminary release or a fake. The site did say, however, that Best Buy Mobile employees have told Engadget the Xoom won’t be sold without Verizon activation.
A Verizon spokesperson referred our inquiry to Best Buy, and the company hadn’t responded to an e-mail as of Monday afternoon.
Jeff Orr, a mobile-devices analyst for ABI Research, has long argued that since the market is so young, tablets need to be low-priced to gain traction among consumers who aren’t convinced they need one.
Overpricing Is Risky
“Early adopters of media tablets are anticipating a few new models in 2011, including the Motorola Xoom, the RIM BlackBerry PlayBook, and a refresh on Apple’s iPad,” Orr said. “If there…