Reference Auto

The long wait for the iPad is finally over with Apple rolling out the tablet in the Indian market and the starting price of Rs 27,990 for the base model (16 GB Wi-Fi) is not as steep as was anticipated.

There are six variants of the iPad which come with 16, 32 or 64 GB memory and there is also a choice between a Wi-Fi and a 3G compatible Wi-Fi Plus version.

In the Wi-Fi type, the base price is Rs 27,900 for the 16GB model, Rs 32,900 for the 32GB and Rs 37,900 for the 64GB.

In the Wi-Fi plus models which are 3G compliant, the base price is Rs 34,900 for the 16GB, Rs 39,900 for the 32GB and Rs 44,900 for the high-end 64 GB.

iPad is the fastest selling gadget ever and registered sales of 15 million in even less than a year, mopping up nearly $10 billion for Apple. The iPad was unveiled in the US on January 27, 2010, but hit the market around April.

The iPad was launched in Singapore and Hong Kong in July 2010 and took six months more to reach India. Unlike the iPhone launch, Apple seems to have done some homework before bringing in the iPad to India, pricing it reasonably.

In the case of the 3G variant iPads, which most buyers would like to pick up, the pricing is a tad on the higher side. But the initial response indicates that this may not be a deterrent.

Before its entry into India, the iPad was doing well in the country’s grey market, notching sales of 40,000 and the base model itself carried a price tag of Rs 30,000.

Apple is also planning to shore up its presence in the country by bringing in the iPad2 in the next few months. The iPad2 comprises hi-tech features like dual cameras, a higher resolution retina display and a processor with an even higher speed.

The iPad will not have it easy in the Indian market and will contend with the likes of Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Olive pad, which have already made their mark in the country. Samsung has already whittled down the price of its Galaxy Tab from Rs 36,499 to Rs 29,500 to vie with the iPad.

But the craze for the iPad seems to have caught on. For instance, store owners in Bangalore have seen hordes of prospective buyers make a beeline to enquire about the tablet.

This euphoria immediately after the iPad launch in India is likely to prevail and Apple could also see a record of sorts so far as sales of the iPad in India are concerned.