iPad to Nip at the Kindle

For all those wondering if a $500 iPad will steal share from eReaders (often below $300), this latest survey says yes. PriceGrabber claims 20 percent of consumers want to purchase an Apple iPad in the next year, and 13 percent will use it primarily as an eReader.
By contrast 12 percent of consumers plan to purchase an Amazon Kindle, 6 percent, a Sony Reader and 5 percent plan to purchase the Barnes & Noble nook, according to the survey which included responses from 1,631 online consumers.
Of course consumers will use the iPad for more than just an eReader. Beyond the 13 percent who plan to use it mainly as an eReader, 20 percent plan to use it mainly as an extra “mobile productivity device,” 19 percent will use it primarily as a laptop or netbook replacement and 10 percent mainly as an entertainment device, the survey found.
With the iPad (WiFi versions) ready to go on sale at Apple and Best Buy stores this Saturday, surveys predicting its impact and use are now released almost daily.
Another report from The NPD Group found that only nine percent of consumers are very likely to purchase an iPad in the next six months, because of its high price and because it is seen mainly as a netbook/laptop replacement.
Here’s another eReader news flash. PriceGrabber says the top price four in five consumers are willing to pay for an eReader falls below $250.