Android & Windows Tablets will eventually outstrip the iPad because in the long term affordable and open will win out, that’s according to Andy Lark, Dell’s Global Head of Marketing in a recent interview with CIO where he discussed Tablets in the enterprise market.
He went on to say that Jobs and Apple have done a decent job of creating hype around the iPad but that eventually this hysteria will succumb to the superior Android tablets.
“I couldn’t be happier that Apple has created a market and built up enthusiasm but longer term, open, capable and affordable will win, not closed, high price and proprietary,” Lark said. “[Apple has] done a really nice job, they’ve got a great product, but the challenge they’ve got is that already Android is outpacing them.
“Apple is great if you’ve got a lot of money and live on an island. It’s not so great if you have to exist in a diverse, open, connected enterprise; simple things become quite complex.”
Lark also alluded to the high price of owning an iPad when it comes to accessories. If you want to purchase a keyboard, a mouse or a case for your iPad 2 you will quickly see the cost rising to around $1,500!
And he’s right…. if you choose to buy a keyboard made out of tiger blood, a mouse made out of gold, and a diamond encrusted case. But why would you even want a keyboard or a mouse? I’m getting the funny feeling that Dell don’t “get” tablets. Anybody else getting that feeling?
But why should Lark care anyway? In the interview with CIO he mentions how Dell’s focus is more on the enterprise side of the tablet market. So why is he bothered by the average consumers that purchase iPads?
“We’ve taken a very considered approach to tablets, given that the vast majority of our business isn’t in the consumer space,” he said. “[A company] like Samsung has to aggressively go after their business, but we’ve got a far more diversified footprint than some of these players.”
I hope it works out for Dell in the enterprise side of things. They need a win after their disastrous attempts in the tablet market with the launch of this beauty below. And yes, that is a keyboard.
