Galaxy Tab, iPad to launch in Thailand
Bangkok Post: 6 Oct 2010
Galaxy Tab, iPad to be launched soonSamsung has selected Thailand as the first country in Southeast Asia to sell its Galaxy Tab, while iPad will soon launch through authorised resellers here, which experts say will affect the netbook market.
Claiming that Bangkok is a tech-savvy city with a lot of early adopters of new gadgets, Samsung selected the Thai capital to launch its Galaxy Tab - the world's first smart Android tablet running on the Android 2.2 platform, said Wichai Pornpratang, Telecommunication Business Director of Thai Samsung Electronics.
The device, which is equipped with a 7" multi-touch screen, is slim and lightweight, making it suitable for reading e-books and newspapers. It also supports a full HD movie player and music player as well as a camera. Users can also make voice and video phone calls.
The device is Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3G-ready with a line of functions comparable to a full-sized notebook computer. Running on the Android 2.2 platform, the tablet is equipped with a number of applications from the Android market, including the Android Browser, which is compatible with Flash-based websites. This is a multi-purpose tool for modern consumers' mobile communication demands and businessmen on the move.
The company aims to sell at least 30,000 tablets by the end of the year and received pre-orders for 1,000 units worth over 22 million baht throughout the Thailand Mobile Expo, which ended on Oct 3. It also plans to launch local content with GMM and 11 newspapers and is in negotiations for movie previews and reservations.
The device will be available from the middle of this month, priced 22,900 baht. AIS customers will receive free 12-month 500-megabyte usage with entertainment applications worth 6,000 baht.
Thitipong Kiewpaisal, AIS vice president for marketing, said that smart phones and tablet devices will help to increase its data usage growth by 300 percent and increase the number of data users to seven million.
Paramate Rienjaroensuk, president of Copperwired, said Apple will launch the iPad through its authorised resellers sometime this month or in November and the price points should be attractive compared with the grey market because of the strong baht exchange rate.
"The first round of the tablet market will see competition between Samsung and the iPad, but the iPad still has a comparative advantage in terms of the number of applications and robust operating system as well as an attractive price point. So even though the iPad will be released after Samsung, consumers will wait for the product," Paramate said.
When it is formally launched, it will capture first-time computer users, especially in the children's education market.
"Currently, there are an estimated 30,000-40,000 iPad units being sold on the grey market, but I believe that when the authorised product is launched, consumers who are still waiting for a legal copy represent a huge opportunity for the company and we expect to sell over 50,000 units within the first year," Paramate said.
Ariya Banomyong, TrueMove's Deputy Director of Marketing, said the new devices will affect the netbook market because even though there is a price gap between the iPad and netbooks, consumers who are not concerned about cost will choose the tablet.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/tech/technews/199927/galaxy-tab-ipad-to-be-launched-soon
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