Why Affordable Android Tablets Are the Wave of the Future

08/22/2011 Comments Off on Why Affordable Android Tablets Are the Wave of the Future Android, Tablets & Technology Like

Most of you are aware that in order to wipe out all existing stock the HP TouchPad has recently gone on sale for $99 which really is a steal even considering the circumstances. This begs the question, why would a discontinued device that also runs webOS which is a tablet operating system that likely won’t see any future updates be flying off the shelves like this? Not to mention there’s a lot of good deals available right now on brand new TouchPad cases and other accessories are selling like crazy the past couple of days too.

Well believe it or not the answer to this question is quite simple really. Although the TouchPad had a very short lived legacy, at least as far as production is concerned, and yes the amount of apps are limited compared to the plethora of iPad iOS and Android apps that are available it still performs basic day to day tasks quite well and gets the job done. Of course there’s always the possibility that older and even newer versions of Android will soon be successfully ported and compatible with the device which extends its lifespan even more.

The fact of the matter is not all consumers are looking for the most expensive slate they can find, they simply want something affordable that works. You know many of us, especially those in the tech industry, spend a great deal of time discussing specs. We are constantly comparing different tablet processor speeds, screen resolutions, RAM, materials used, operating systems etc. This is a normal and common thing to do whether you’re talking about tablet computers or a brand new vehicle. It’s just human nature to do so.

Now, in regards to the title of this article, will affordable Android tablets soon dominate the tablet PC market? In all honesty there’s a high possibility of this happening. Yes of course most people would react to such statements with something like “but how can any tablet possibly compete with the iPad?”, wow if I had a dollar for every time I heard that. Let’s be realistic here though, yes Apple did start a huge trend by introducing the iPad and yes it’s a very modern, highly functional and capable device but just like the old saying goes what comes up must come down. In other words, it would be foolish to think the iPad could dominate the market forever and you have to remember the new age touch screen tablet industry is still in its early stages.

Just to make things clear, this is not a ploy to praise Android over Apple and part of my job is to be unbiased. Think of it like this, the Ford Mustang has been popular for decades and still is to this day but it is not always the most popular selling vehicle. The New York Yankees have won more World Series championships than any other team, but there are several other teams that have also claimed victories over the years. My point is, gadgets and devices cannot reign supreme forever and as far as the tablet industry is concerned it might not be obvious or apparent especially when talking numbers right now but there is a shift taking place.

Let’s take the Android fueled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for example. It is one of the few tablets that have managed to make a mark and put a dent against iPad sales, a very small dent but it’s still a dent nonetheless. Why is this? Well for starters it can do everything that an iPad can do for a fraction of the price. This is not to discredit Apple by any means, but a big reason they sold so many tablets is because for a while the iPad was the only device of its kind available, it was something new, fancy and cool and people just had to have one. In the beginning there weren’t any other options, but this of course is no longer the case.

Considering how the economy has been the past decade or so people are more cautious than ever when it comes to spending. Even people who are extremely rich & wealthy are a bit hesitant a lot of times when it comes to spending because the economy as of late is just far too unpredictable. It’s up one day and crashes the next, recessions are happening and this is causing people to be more wise when it comes to investments both big and small. In other words, if people can invest in alternatives to the iPad they will do so because all that matters for a lot of individuals is that they own a tablet device that is stable and affordable. Along with the many Android tablets that are surfacing on the market for under $500 comes a world of opportunities for future Android devices that fall into this price range. The fact that the recent HP TouchPad price drop has resulted in a huge rush to purchase one while quantities last is a sure sign of this.

Of course I don’t have the ability to travel forward in time, and my guess is the iPad will be popular for quite some time yet. Plus, there’s a lot of hype and rumors the past few months about how much better the iPad 3 will be. However, I can personally see Android tablets continuing to gain headway and at some point quite possibly even dominate the tablet computer market. Yeah maybe I’ll choke on those words at some point but I doubt it. Call it a lucky guess but I think it’s more a question of when rather than if.