Return Rates of Galaxy Tab at a Whooping 15%, Analysts Not Amused by Android Tablets

[xaueious]

A Wall Street firm has apparently reported that the Samsung Galaxy Tab is being returned at a rate of 15%, which is rather high. The Apple iPad has only had a return rate of 2% in comparison.

The same article quotes several industry analysts critical of Android tablets in the market, highlighting 'high return rates' as well as the notion that they 'not moving off the self'. However, many low-quality Android tablets have been marketed thus far in America. It may not be exactly fair to generalize the entire market because of the mediocre models that have been released.


The industry looks to a miracle in Android 3.0 Honeycomb to change the negative vibe of Android tablets. Many people have a notion that current versions of Android do not operate well on tablet devices, but what does this even mean? Most people have never even owned an Android tablet before. Android tablets have comparable, competitive features with the iPad even it its current state, particular tablets with similar capabilities. Why are people being disappointed by what they buy?

One of the biggest problems is what people expect from owning a tablet device. What is the identity of an Android tablet? What is it supposed to do, and do well?

Despite being a limited, non-revolutionary product with regards to both its software and hardware, Apple has done a great job highlighting various features of the iPad. The challenge that Google has on their hands is not merely what Honeycomb can do, but how Honeycomb can change the perception people have of Android as a tablet operating system, as well as all the things it does well.

Until that happens, Android tablets cannot be expected to be legitimate threats to the iPad or netbook markets.

NYPost via Afterdawn

 

[feverhost]

Until that happens, Android tablets cannot be expected to be legitimate threats to the iPad or netbook markets.

A lot of these companies are horrible at marketing... which Samsung is along those compnies. Motorola and Verizon did an awesome job with the Droid phones. I'm pretty sure Motorola (and again), Verizon will do a good job with Xoom.

Apple does a great job advertising their products.. and if other companies want to complete... need to start hiring advertising firms... quickly!

 

[strider_mt2k]

It kind of reminds me of the old Palm OS days:

Very cool hardware, but the OS is something "geeks" can do more with than "regular folks".

(Keep in mind, I hold the work geek in high regard, being one myself.)

Simply put, this will go one of two ways: This is a rough start to a new segment, or a brief spasm in response to a commercial trend.

What can I say? I bought an Android tablet, and I enjoy it quite a bit.
I also owned quite a few Palm OS machines too.

Here's hoping that this is merely a rough start to an interesting and (Ithink) viable segment of computing.

 

[sillyrabbitt123]

I think the price is too high on both but apple creates droids out of people bottome line.

 

[teegunn]

Apple has a TON of pull and power in the media, and they use it well. I've used both the ipad and the samsung tab, and I gotta say overall I think the samsung stacks up well. I prefer the size of the samsung, and it seems to move just as fast as the ipad. With my dislike of anything proprietary, Apple will NEVER be an option for me. I think the article above is written by an apple honk. While they do have a point about the el cheapo chinese android tabs being sketchy, I believe the samsung is a VERY solid unit and see no reason why it would have a 15% return rate. If it does, it is because people read articles like the one above too much.

 

[xaueious]

I believe in the 15% figure. Perception of Android tablets is a bigger problem than functionality right now. That was what I thought when I read the stats.

 

[totouch]

for the people i know that have appl products, they seem to have the same sentiment that the products just work.... simple, easy, and rewarding... one of my co-workers (now retired) just got an ipad and carrys the thing around with her everywhere she goes... by nature she is a technophobe, but the 'successes' she has had at using the ipad have made her a believer... and perhaps that it is worth the 'cost'...

if samsung, et al are going to be charging these prices the products have to simply 'work'...

 

[teegunn]

As far as I'm concerned, the fragmentation of Android is both a positive and negative. As long as there are top of the line android units that are as good (or better) than the iphone, ipad, etc, I could care less if the lower level, cheaper units are not up to par. It is a positive that there ARE cheaper options in case you don't want to pay $500 plus for top of the line. However, for bullies like Apple, they will unfairly present the situation to make them look better no matter what. They have so far won, and won big time, the "perception" war. They are better at the propoganda/advertising game. So I agree until top android product companies step it up in this area, the perception that Apple is the best will likely stick around for the general public regardless. It is fair to say that, of all the tabs out there, the most polished to date is the Ipad. Hopefully 2011 changes that.

 

[Comacine]

(1) High performance, (2) high quality, (3) Honeycomb units that are (4) marketed well will outperform the iPad and sell very well. In cases where any one or more of those 4 conditions are not met, sales, satisfaction, perception, market share, return rates etc. will reflect that. Android tab fans should look at the very high end of the market for the really good news in the tablet platform competition.

The comparison to Palm doesn't actually work that well, because Palm dominated the market, their product "simply worked", and all other players (Psion, MSoft etc.) never did gain much of a foothold in the PDA market until very late (PocketPC), when the market was already at its sunset.

 

[dgstorm]

A report from ITG Investment Research indicates that an alarmingly high number of people are returning their Samsung Galaxy Tab's after purchase. They tracked the return data from nearly 6000 point-of-sale systems at wireless stores in the U.S. from November through January 15. According to their findings, returns on the Galaxy Tab hit a whopping 16 percent. Compare that with Apple's iPad which had a return rate of just 2 percent and you get a broader perspective on just how bad that is. It makes you wonder why? Is their a major design flaw? Is the Froyo OS not really optimized for the tablet? For all you Galaxy Tab users out there... sound off in the forums and let us know what you think may be causing this.

Source: DigitalDaily

 

[rwmcmjr]

The big problem Google faces is the fact that so much of the user experience is out of their control. They are just the OS and the hardware/firmware implementation makes or breaks the experience we the users will have. Apple control the entire product, a big advantage especially if the price of the Android Tabs is near an iPad.

How long before we see the Mac guy is back on TV pick on a little green man?

 

[rob.meldrum@gmail.com]

I just bought a Huawei Android tablet, and if not for this site and forums would not have been as happy as I am. The "users manual" was pathetic, slightly larger than a matchbook and eight pages of no help at all. The device is actually very capable. I think google is doing a lousy job of getting upgrades out and setting expectations. I think the stupid upgrade codenames put off those of us who don't think it's cool to know how to speak klingon. The upgrade numbering convention is clear and established. 2.1 to 2.2 (bilbo to froyo???) should mean there is no hardware requirement difference. The new "Gingerbread" (gag) is being called 3.0. Does that mean my hardware won't support it? What are the hardware requirements? I think the 2.1 to 2.2 upgrade promises a 4x speed improvement - does that mean my hardware will work 4 times faster? Apple masks all of that gibberish from the users who just want to be users, not developers or unpaid members of the Geek Squad. For an example of how to do things right, check out the Navionics (software) tutorials on Youtube. THAT is how to bring new users up to speed!

 

[wagadesa]

The big problem Google faces is the fact that so much of the user experience is out of their control. They are just the OS and the hardware/firmware implementation makes or breaks the experience we the users will have. Apple control the entire product, a big advantage especially if the price of the Android Tabs is near an iPad.

How long before we see the Mac guy is back on TV pick on a little green man?

You are exactly right. I returned my first tab which was from Sprint after finding that I could not connect Bluetooth keyboard. Now I have a new tab from T-Mobile. Guess what? The T-Mobile tab allows Bluetooth keyboards. This is fragmentation at it's worst. The user experience varies depending on which country you are in and then within each country the experience varies by which carrier. I don't believe Apple suffers from this.

Honestly if Apple releases a tablet in 7inch form factor with cameras and memory slots I would drop Android like a bad habit.

Sent from my SGH-T849 using Tapatalk

 

[hasankamal]

Android tablets cannot be expected to be legitimate threats to the iPad or netbook markets.