Analyst: Apple to ship 30 million iPads in 2011
by Steven Mostyn - Jun 30 2011, 19:36
The picture of popularity. Image: Pedro Eugenio Antunes/Flickr.
If you thought tablet computers were little more than a flash-in-the-pan gimmick, destined to lose novelty value and market traction against conventional ultra-mobile hardware—it’s perhaps time to think again.
Moreover, if the continuing consumer appeal of the iPad weren’t enough to convince, Needham & Company analyst Charlie Wolf has said Apple is expected to ship a whopping 30 million units of its tablet device before the close of this year.
According to industry watchers at AppleInsider, Wolf’s prediction is a substantial adjustment from his original 12-month projection of 7.5 million units, and is likely the result of the Cupertino-based giant shifting nine million iPad 2s during Q3 alone.
In terms of motivating factors, Wolf believes the latest iPad iteration has become a bona fide hit due to its user-friendly interface, easy access to a massive supply of software apps, and a wealth of compelling multimedia features.
And, if the iPad and iPad 2 don’t float your gadgetry boat (i.e., that pesky lack of Flash), there are always worthy alternatives such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Acer Iconia Tab, the HP TouchPad, and the BlackBerry PlayBook to choose from.
Gimmick? We think not.
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