Quote:
Originally Posted by techweenie
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Some more info:
- Above table is sell-in units (units sold to the channel of retailers and carriers), not sell-out units (units actually bought by consumers).
- Apple's sell-out equaled their sell-in, consumers bought pretty much every iPad that Apple sold into the channel.
- Android tablet makers' sell-out was about 1/2 their sell-in, so excess inventory of Android 2.2 tablets is building up. Bad for the channel, since current Android tablets are rapidly being obsoleted by Android 3.0 tablets, and bad for the manufacturers.
- Return rates for Android 2.2 tablets has been high (high-teens % for Galaxy Tab). Also a problem.
- Industry is thinking will sell 20-30MM Android tablets in 2011. This is already not enough to support most of the new tablet models being launched. If it turns out 10-20MM, there will be a mess. Most of the new Android tablets shown at CES won't exist in a year.
- All eyes on Motorola Xoom, as first major Android 3.0 tablet to come to market. A big name, strong carrier support, apparently a slick device. If it doesn't do well . . .
- For Windows tablets, one roadblock is Intel's power consumption. Atom still uses too much power, so for same device thinness, battery life is shorter than cellphone-based tablets like iPad and most Android tablets. Intel says won't see cellphones based on Atom until mid-212 (when Atom on 22nm) so that's probably when Atom-based tablets can catch up in battery life.