Apple sells 3 million new iPads in 3 days
- Thread starter Wario64
- Start date
Wiktor
Member
Sorry, but that's pure nonsense. Both are full blown gaming platforms.
shinra-bansho
Member
Your comments (plural, not just the one I directly quoted) seemed far more general about the definition of overpriced.
The person you quoted seemed to be referring to the price relative to the cost of goods and entirely subjective perception of what is an acceptable profit margin. Considering this is entirely subjective, the iPad can still be considered overpriced.
You seem to be referring to a more literal interpretation of whether the price is too high to maximise sales*profit. In which case, the iPad may still be technically overpriced or may in fact be underpriced.
Another scenario, as noted, exists wherein a price isn't intended to necessarily maximise sales at all, but preserve a premium branding.
Overall, I don't think your definition of a product only being overpriced when it doesn't sell in volume is entirely accurate. Nor is it invalid to consider the iPad overpriced, depending on what exactly one means and their subjective view of the profit margin.
Tablets aren't supposed to replace your home consoles. Today people game and watch media in "multiscreen" mode. As in you have stuff going on in TV and on a tablet at the same time. That's the future and this is not a subjective opinion.
Do we ever see sales information about pc's in the gaming section?
So if Valve came out with a branded PC we shouldn't post it in the gaming thread? If Alienware had a massively successful PC and boasted numbers about it, we shouldn't post it here?
shinra-bansho
Member
I think those costs are considered sunk; I don't think they're relevant to determining profit per unit sold.
So we should post news about the galaxy note, MacBook, Galaxy tab... In the gaming section because they can all play games?
I wouldn't mind if they were earth-shattering or impressive. In the IOS' case in particular, most of the top apps are games.
Ninja Moomin
Banned
News that include subjects affecting gaming yes.
I agree with you there, but this topic kinda falls within a grey area. I mean does Apple even target gamers with their devices? Sales of ios devices indirectly affect those of dedicated game devices but are in direct competition with other tablets. So where do we post this, in a section dedicated to games or one that's supposed to cover everything?
At the new iPad announcement, they showed off 3 third-party apps. 2 of them were games, both of which were specifically announced to be exclusive to iOS.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Let me just clear this up from a moderation perspective;
Anyone is free to post threads that they feel relate to or engender a discussion about gaming in the gaming section. Some topics are ambiguous. We generally give people the benefit of the doubt. For example, CES topics get posted on both sides, despite the relatively low gaming content. For example, we have in the past had a long-running Netflix thread on this side dating to when the 360 became the first console to have a built-in Netflix app. We do have coverage of Facebook stuff over here.
The entire content of this thread, when people haven't been thread shitting with "dis just dis why gaming side" has been a discussion about what degree you can consider the iPad a gaming device, and to what degree, if any, Apple has impacted the industry. Pretend the title was "Apple sells 3 million new iPads in 3 days - What does this mean for the gaming industry?" -- would it be a valid topic for Gaming then? Yes, of course. So what's the difference when that second phrase is merely implied by the context of the thread rather than explicit? Every single person in the thread picked up that that was the implication, didn't they?
So can you post news about the Galaxy Note, Macbook, or Galaxy Tab in Gaming? Yes, absolutely. With one quid pro quo -- you can only do it if you are sincerely trying to have a conversation about gaming. I absolutely welcome a thread that analyzes or causes a discussion about Android's role in gaming, about the apparent gap between Android real marketshare and Android app purchasing habits, about the amount or success of iOS->Android ports, about original Android gaming content, about game developers who think Android is the future of gaming, about (as Mario mentioned a page ago) what percentage of mobile revenues developers are getting from Android. So if you think your hypothetical topic is going to generate those kinds of conversations, that's great, post away.
I would say that in the specific three cases you mention, launch sales would not be likely to engender these conversations. The Galaxy Note is not a particularly strong or gamer-focused Android model, and Android's strength has always been its diverse ecosystem rather than a single model, so it's unlikely that the Galaxy Note can serve as a proxy for Android's impact more generally the way the iPad can for iOS's impact more generally. Ditto the tab, with the note that the mainline Android tablet ecosystem is very weak right now as a whole and so it might be a little premature to bring it up. The Macbook would be a poor choice both for the aforementioned reasons, and because on PC devices (including Macs), the separation between the hardware and the content acquisition methods is much more significant than the separation is on mobile devices of any flavour--someone who buys an Android or iOS device has an app store/market right in front of them. I haven't personally seen evidence of the Mac App Store's uptake being quite so dramatic.
That being said, Mac gaming topics are totally welcome here, both in the context of the Mac App Store, the context of Steam/Play, and at an OS level Apple's support for OpenGL or work on drivers or Aspyr's ports or performance of specific games in Boot Camp on Mac hardware or anything like that.
If, on the other hand, you're just spitefully creating a topic because you're sour about this one, well, this is going to be the only warning I give: Don't do that.
iPad usage surveys usually show that between 75-80% of users use theirs for gaming. It's a huge amount of people.
There's an infographic here from a UK survey last year, there are other similar surveys out there. Notice how many respondents also own dedicated games machines.
Wiktor
Member
I wish somebody would make a study how much time people spend on each iPad activity. Because in the one you've linked somebody might played one game in two years and it still would count. If such study was indeed made I would really aprecieate a link
Edit: wrong link.I wish somebody would make a study how much time people spend on each iPad activity. Because in the one you've linked somebody might played one game in two years and it still would count. If such study was indeed made I would really aprecieate a link
Wiktor
Member
I wish somebody would make a study how much time people spend on each iPad activity. Because in the one you've linked somebody might played one game in two years and it still would count. If such study was indeed made I would really aprecieate a link
What would that actually mean though? You'd get exactly the same thing for dedicated games machines too, lots of people buying games but lots of people buying one or two games and then not touching the device for years.
As the market matures, I'm sure we'll see much more information regarding sales and usage. As of right now, all signs point to gaming being an important part of the iPad.
And wrong study
Here you go:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/mobile/2011/08/ipad-owners-use-new-apps-longe.php
Wiktor
Member
Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not disputing the importance of gaming on iPad. I've been simply curious about usage percentages (largely to confirm my suspicion that people don't read novels much on iPad) and just thought it was a nice opportunity to see if anyone knows of such study
Thanks a lot
Shtof
Member
Yeah, but how many are willing to pay for games? Very few among the total demographic. And even fewer would pay for a full blown AAA-game.
Zoe
Member
How many of those old ladies bought it because of the ability to play games?
Any stats backing that up?
I would estimate my wife has put in more hours playing Scrabble on her iPad 2 she got last October, than I've put in my entire catalog of games combined over the last 2 years. She's got some unhealthy addiction going on. Every time I look at her in the house, she's playing scrabble on her iPad.
fluffydelusions
Member
Yes but for how long? I play games on my phone but only for a few minutes at a time when I'm bored, waiting in line, on the toilet etc. I wouldn't compare that gaming to playing on console or PC. BUT there are some exceptions, my gf is addicted to draw something game which she will play for hours but I still wouldn't consider that comparable to console gaming but to each there own I suppose. I'm not mad at anyone for owning/enjoying an iPad.
Synth_floyd
Banned
The iPad is a gaming device. The "it has no buttons" people are wrong as there are plenty of games on it and it has bluetooth so you could easily buy a controller for it, and the "it can do other stuff besides games" people are missing the point because dollars spent on the iPad and iPad gaming ARE taking away dollars from Microsoft/Nintendo/Sony. If someone has a gaming budget of X dollars and spends some of that on the ipad and its games then that's less money for other games. I think the failure of the Vita is a sign that the market cannot handle 2 dedicated gaming handhelds at this time. The price cut of the 3DS is another sign. There probably always will be a market for dedicated handheld consoles but it just won't be as big as before. The iPad and smartphones will just take a big chunk out of that pie.
Riposte
Member
Thread would be worse off with that lazy kind of question tied to it. That's some kotaku level BS. Obviously some people think it is a stretch to talk about the entirety of iPad's success in the context of gaming (more-so if they don't care about Scrabble/board game ports and Angry Birds) and I think if you need to borrow tactics from Kotaku's filler blog posts to bridge it then it kind of reflects that. Thread would be better off if it was more concerned with new games benefiting from the new iPad's launch - which happened to sell 3 million copies in 3 days (mention that if you want to be more subtle in your provocation). Given how few screenshot comparisons I've seen in this thread (frankly what the 80% of the thread should have been about), I can only call it a failure (though a successful Wario64 thread).
Oh wow, we're back to calling systems still in their launch windows failures again? The only place we can honestly say the system failed in (and even then it's not a failure yet) would be Japan. Just one market, and looking at the types of games on the system, they're mostly catered to the West. No shit it's not selling there.
Why should this thread be full of screenshot comparisons? I think the talk in this thread from people in the gaming industry like Mario, about how devices like the iPad and their monetization possibilities have impacted developers has been particularly enlightening. A failure thread to me would be a thread 80% full of screenshots.
No it won't. The pc market share was dictated by factors that aren't relevant to this situation. Specifically, domination by microsoft in the business setting before PCs were a common consumer item.
Shtof
Member
No, just my own experience with people I know who play on their phones and tablet. But that doesn't mean there's no money in the mobile platforms, though, there's a lot of money in it, but that's ad money. That's not a future I look brightly upon.
flyinpiranha
Member
I won't lie, I'm starting to want an iPad more than I want a Vita (neither in the cards this year due to a pretty expensive vacation).
Actually, I should change that ... I want a "tablet" more than I want a Vita and what I'd do on it is mostly game but browsing/email/social stuff is a great plus. When it comes to these 2 devices it really is an either/or for me. As I see support for iPad (and hopefully tablets in general) going up and support for dedicated handhelds going down.
Actually, I should change that ... I want a "tablet" more than I want a Vita and what I'd do on it is mostly game but browsing/email/social stuff is a great plus. When it comes to these 2 devices it really is an either/or for me. As I see support for iPad (and hopefully tablets in general) going up and support for dedicated handhelds going down.
Riposte
Member
Best case scenario for this thread is 1% interesting posts focused more on software and 99% really misguided arguing which isn't really specific to the new piece of hardware in particular.
Shtof
Member
That's not impressive for FIFA considering the enormous install base of iOS and the mainstream popularity of not only the game franchise, but also soccer.
And Infinity Blade won't be the only high-profile game on iOS forever. As soon as other large studios join in, there'll fewer dollars for each of them.
crazygambit
Member
Do they though? I have an iPad 1 and I'm looking forward to upgrade, but it's entirely possible that these are just new buyers who were waiting for the new iPad to come out before buying their first one.
Is it fair to say that these numbers are greater than 'very few'?
Because that's what you said....
It seems, from all available info, that you're wrong. No shame in that, it's a popular misconception.
I bought a new iPad specifically for gaming. The original plan was to use the iPad 2 another year...until I learned about the on-board quad graphics chip. It's plainly obvious the Apple is starting to embrace gaming in a huge way. Because iPad users are clearly starting to embrace gaming in a huge way. One look at the sales charts should tell you all you need to know.
I'm also far more productive on my iPad than my PC because I'm not tethered to a desk. I use it to manage my finances, browse the Internet, read/compose email, track my food intake, track my exercise/runs, watch TV, research, take free courses, read books and magazines, listen to music, play games, manage my schedule, keep in touch with friends via AIM/iMessage/Facebook chat, stay up to date with the news, listen to educational/informative podcasts, check the weather, buy crap online inc. movie tickets and the like, plan/map trips, brainstorm ideas (mindmap is AWESOME), jot down general notes, create grocery lists with software cook books that automatically add required ingredients, create general to-do lists, browse GAF....
Anyone saying the iPad is not a productivity device is off their rocker. This thing has made me more efficient, punctual, and productive than I ever thought possible. Way, way, WAY better than a PC for most things. The only thing I find myself turning on the laptop for are documents that require a fair bit of formatting. Pages is an awesome, fully-featured program but there is no substitute for a mouse (yet).
I'm also far more productive on my iPad than my PC because I'm not tethered to a desk. I use it to manage my finances, browse the Internet, read/compose email, track my food intake, track my exercise/runs, watch TV, research, take free courses, read books and magazines, listen to music, play games, manage my schedule, keep in touch with friends via AIM/iMessage/Facebook chat, stay up to date with the news, listen to educational/informative podcasts, check the weather, buy crap online inc. movie tickets and the like, plan/map trips, brainstorm ideas (mindmap is AWESOME), jot down general notes, create grocery lists with software cook books that automatically add required ingredients, create general to-do lists, browse GAF....
Anyone saying the iPad is not a productivity device is off their rocker. This thing has made me more efficient, punctual, and productive than I ever thought possible. Way, way, WAY better than a PC for most things. The only thing I find myself turning on the laptop for are documents that require a fair bit of formatting. Pages is an awesome, fully-featured program but there is no substitute for a mouse (yet).
Xilium
Member
The article posted just above shows that, even though gaming applications are the most frequently opened/accessed programs, the amount of time spent in those applications is quite a bit less than most every other type of application (and this seems to be specific to downloaded apps and excludes default programs such as the web browser and the built-in mp3 player, which I'm sure are among the most accessed and largest time-sinks).
The behavior patterns really don't seem all that different than when Snake, Tetris, and the like first came to cellphones. Obviously it's more widespread than those but gaming on the iOS devices seems to mostly just be something people do when they have a spare minute and not something they are actively engaged in (excluding actual gamers of course).
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
So in your argument that very few people pay for full blown AAA iOS games from large studio, you're saying that there is a demographic out there willing to pay for full blown AAA games from large studios.
shinra-bansho
Member
That would depend on how one defines "few among the total demographic."
At $6 a piece, IB would sit at around 3.8 million by my count and around half a million IB2 at $10 a piece - from that data. Not sure how many iDevices are capable of running Infinity Blade to determine an attach rate.
Edit: There are at least 172 million iDevices capable of running IB and IB2, giving an attach rate or <2.2% and <0.3% respectively, at present.
sixteen-bit
Member
That's a lot of retina displays.
Gaming only devices as being the anti-iPad would make more sense if the gaming devices weren't trying to deliver a lot of the same content (Netflix, Twitter, browsing) that Apple already does. What happened to the Blue Ocean theory or whatever? Now everyone is on the same boat.
Shtof
Member
Well, I can see when I've lost. You guys provided better evidence than me.
That's what I said, and it was intended that way. I never said there was no market, I just said I don't think that market can sustain the current console/handheld business. Anyway, judging by this board I'm wrong, so I'll just take my redundant opinions back to my console/handheld cave and actually play video games.
Ipad is an all purpose on the go machine, consoles aren't. And unless you're an avid gamer you wouldn't buy consoles like 360/PS3. So, of course an Ipad is going to sell more than consoles, its a no brainer. I doubt people are buying an Ipad JUST to play games, though.