Anyone Else Disappointed by Galaxy Tab Pricing?

[koss]

Oh Samsung Galaxy Tablet, how you have captured my heart and then thrashed it away with contract-bound pricing! You looked so tempting with your complete features. There were many fair Android tablets around and upcoming, but none seem to have everything quite together and complete like you with features:

• Light and thin profile
• 7-inch 1024x600 resolution capacitive touch screen
• Android 2.2 with Flash
• Fast A8 processor
• USB and HDMI port
• Customized UI
• Decent battery life
• Good build quality

Everything seemed to be perfect, but you just had to throw a ridiculous price tag that rivals or exceeds bigger iPad price and flirt with big bad carriers to bind us into 2-year contract for what should've been a contract-free price! ($300~400) Now I shall take my interest somewhere else and seek consolation in the bosom of Tegra-2 tablets!

 

[Flyingtom]

I am verry dissapointed, the introduction price in The Netherlands will be 750 euros, without a cellphone contract.

 

[gadgetrants]

Yeah, I definitely flipped out when I saw the news at droidforums.net. But then a few forum members calmed me down, and pointed out:

1. We're looking at early-adopter prices (remember the iPhone 1 price drop?)
2. We're looking at the 3G models
3. The specs--feature by feature--actually beat the iPad on nearly each count.

Maybe Samsung was thinking "it's an overall better device" so it justifies a higher price. I actually don't think so. They HAVE to realize between Nov and Dec the market will saturate, and NOBODY will pay $500 or $600 for an Android tablet. Either people will pay $200 (the magic phone price) for a subsidized (with contract) tab, or they'll pay $300-$400 for one without a contract and WiFi only.

Anyway, my prediction is that the bulk of the market by Q1 2011 will be selling tablets at three price points: (1) $300 (remember netbooks?) for entry-level units, (2) $400 for standard units, and (3) $500+ for higher end units.

-Matt

 

[freeder]

The price if definately a turn down for all user who have been getting a hold for this jewel. Love all the features its has in it but I can still live without it.



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[xaueious]

The hardware is much better than the iPad. I'm not sure why people were expecting cheaper pricing. Even at on-par pricing, you are getting much better hardware for the money with promise of upgrade to Android 3.0.

 

[gadgetrants]

The hardware is much better than the iPad. I'm not sure why people were expecting cheaper pricing. Even at on-par pricing, you are getting much better hardware for the money with promise of upgrade to Android 3.0.

Your logic won't work for a very simple reason: you are being rational about it.

Here is an alternative approach:

Mac = cost of average PC * 120% to 150%
iPod = cost of average MP3 player * 150%
iPad = cost of average tablet * .... well, you get the idea. I think it's called the "apple premium":

Apple Mac vs. Windows: The Apple Premium Is Gone - Dave's Download (usnews.com)

It's certainly a matter of buyer-perception. And I suspect typical buyers are not as detail-oriented as you...if it looks cool, if it's shiny, if it's so easy even Grandma can use it, then it should be more expensive--goes the reasoning anyway. Thus, I'm pretty confident that Apple iPads--regardless of what's inside them--will be viewed as the more expensive, premium tablet for the next year or more. Major Android tablet makers will have to underprice them to win.

-Matt

 

[klown07]

Well, I read somewhere they are going to be selling non contract versions too. And again, there will be plenty of tablets coming out as the new year rolls in. Notion ink adam, and elocity A7 looks good. The latter which is up for preorder on amazon.com for $369.00 and has capacitive screen, g-sensor, camera, 1ghz processor, and 512 ram.

 

[iamdestruktor]

Why is a contract necessary?! Is it just for the 3G service? Or is there a phone plan somewhere in there? And how much would the plans be? I've pretty much already decided to stay away from ANY tablet that includes the word "contract".

 

[koss]

My guess is that with low subsidized pricing upfront, Samsung thinks it can fool many people. I don't agree with what some people said Galaxy Tab is better than iPad. I might agree that it's on par with iPad. Galaxy is smaller than iPad. The LCD is also of lower quality. It's not like Galaxy has AMOLED: TFT LCD vs. IPS? Also iPad has higher resolution. Provided that Galaxy doesn't have the "un-features" of Apple, but we are still comparing 7-inch tablet to a 10 (9.7) inch tablet.

 

[ZilverZurfarn]

R U kidding? How could you not find the price to be disappointing? OK, disappointing isn't the right word. Insane, ludicrous, laughable more describe it.
The hardware may be whatever, but coughing up that much for what in the end is a tablet with the inevitable limitations the tablet format has, just doesn't make sense.
I guess those who want a tablet already has a desktop/full size laptop computer, a netbook and a smartphone. A tablet (that in usability falls somewhere between netbook and smartphone) with a price that rivals the sum of the price for the rest of your arsenal is just plain silly.
The only audience that'd put up with such a price tag is already occupied with the iPad. Until Samsung manages to build it's own cult, well, I'm afraid they'll state that "There is no demand for Android tablets" and pull out of that business within 6 months.

 

[gadgetrants]

The only audience that'd put up with such a price tag is already occupied with the iPad. Until Samsung manages to build it's own cult, well, I'm afraid they'll state that "There is no demand for Android tablets" and pull out of that business within 6 months.

Nice. Agree 100%. But they have invested a lot in their new tablet. Nothing like Motorola and the Droid1, but you can feel the press picking up. On a related note, I don't really understand how it can be released running Android 2.2...I mean, Google has been pretty clear that they don't think 2.x is tablet-worthy (i.e., smart-phones only). I guess Samsung is doing it so they can get it out ASAP. What I'm waiting for is what the Android tablet experience will be like with Gingerbread--which the Galaxy will have no trouble running. That may help change the game some.

-Matt

 

[ywk69]

My guess is that with low subsidized pricing upfront, Samsung thinks it can fool many people. I don't agree with what some people said Galaxy Tab is better than iPad. I might agree that it's on par with iPad. Galaxy is smaller than iPad. The LCD is also of lower quality. It's not like Galaxy has AMOLED: TFT LCD vs. IPS? Also iPad has higher resolution. Provided that Galaxy doesn't have the "un-features" of Apple, but we are still comparing 7-inch tablet to a 10 (9.7) inch tablet.

The specs of the Galaxy Tab does beat the iPad on practically every count. Don't forget that the 1024x600 resolution is on a 7 inch screen so its resolution is really the highest you can find on any 7 inch tablet released to date.

 

[ywk69]

Your logic won't work for a very simple reason: you are being rational about it.

Here is an alternative approach:

Mac = cost of average PC * 120% to 150%
iPod = cost of average MP3 player * 150%
iPad = cost of average tablet * .... well, you get the idea. I think it's called the "apple premium":

Apple Mac vs. Windows: The Apple Premium Is Gone - Dave's Download (usnews.com)

It's certainly a matter of buyer-perception. And I suspect typical buyers are not as detail-oriented as you...if it looks cool, if it's shiny, if it's so easy even Grandma can use it, then it should be more expensive--goes the reasoning anyway. Thus, I'm pretty confident that Apple iPads--regardless of what's inside them--will be viewed as the more expensive, premium tablet for the next year or more. Major Android tablet makers will have to underprice them to win.

-Matt

The problem with your pricing formula is that the Galaxy Tab is not the average Android tablet.

 

[gadgetrants]

Sorry, I wasn't being clear. I wasn't referring to any non Android tablet in particular (though the thread is about the Galaxy, of course!): my point was simply that Apple sets the price tiers with their products. In particular, by setting the iPad at $600+ (depending on drive size and whether you get3G) that makes it look like an Android tablet at or above $600 is overpriced.

I'm not talking about the objective, fair-market value of the Android tablet. In the case of the Galaxy (higher-end tablet?), it may be a fair price for what you're getting. But consumer perception (I'm assuming) is "the non-Apple product should run 60%-70% of the price of the equivalent Apple product." I also think the average consumer if far too under-informed about hardware to appreciate what the Galaxy offers. Instead, imagine someone who asks "Can I play movies on it? Does it have games?" Not everyone is a gadget-loving nerd.

-Matt

 

[gurgle]

Not surprising is the word I would use. There have been two very valid points raised prior as well as my warning in a different thread.
The price is for the first wave is very accurate. Just as the FanBois of Apple had to have the first IPhone and lusted after the Box. (THE BOX?!?!?!?!?) So it will be for the first round of pricing. Then will have an immediate price drop to "sell" the item, It will be sold for something lile 199-299 with a 2yr-$50-60/month contract. This will likely coincide with the release of the WiFi version only.

xaueious point is valid as well though, the pricing does match actual cost and better HW of the IPAD. It is solid unit.

My point in the other thread is they really get you for even more when they sell it with a high end contract and a low end price. Think how much you will use it 3G vs WiFi and calculate the cost per minute. The 3G becomes very profitable.

We have been lulled by the low end pricing of being live beta testers of some crappy tablets. The Archos 101 will likely be the true cost point for the 10 inch and the same for the 70 series. But that is for WiFi. Add 3G and you have IPod touch vs IPhone 3/4 costs with contract logic.

But that is just my opinion.

Enjoy