Even as rumors surfaced last week that HP is planning to release a $99 tablet, some market observers were already giving the product low marks. Citing unnamed sources, Digitimes reported that Hewlett-Packard is partnering with Wal-Mart to sell the tablet aimed at back-to-school shoppers. The device, reportedly to be manufactured by China-based BYD, is expected to have a 7-inch touch panel and Intel’s Medfield-based single core processor.
The negative criticism seemed primarily centered on the device’s low price. “Don’t expect a powerhouse slate in this price range,” wrote Paul Lily of MaximumPC. Another tech site called $99 an “extreme price point” and said the limited processor would likely also limit the tablet’s screen resolution. Still other analysts thought the retail model could hinder sales, and the limited processor, compared with more powerful tablets, “may pose difficulties to attract consumers.”
HP’s potential introduction of a $99-tablet comes after the TouchPad debacle. HP decided to cancel the Touchpad in 2011 after disappointing sales. Originally priced at $499, the TouchPad flew off the shelves at the clearance sales price of $99, which still amounted to a huge loss for HP.
Now, HP seems ready to embrace low price. It already has a relatively inexpensive tablet on the market, the HP Slate 7, also manufactured by BYD. Currently priced at $139, the Slate 7 isn’t much more expensive than the new rumored tablet, but it has garnered its share of criticism over quality as well.
Apple’s iPad is still the most popular tablet. A recent survey by BuyVia found that of those who planned to purchase a tablet, 39% planned to purchase an iPad. However, with a retail price starting at $329, an iPad might not make many families’ back-to-school budgets.
While reviewers have doubts, it remains to be seen exactly what HP’s $99 tablet will look like, and more importantly, what bargain-hunting parents across the country will think of it.
