IPad Expected to Be a Huge Seller, According to Experts

For this giant device, the final price the consumer will pay only covers half of the manufacturing cost.

So says a study conducted on the iPad by market analyst iSuppli. According to this organization, the final price of the tablet, including all the necessary components, will increase by 50 percent, some $259.60, or 194 Euros, for the consumer.

According to the news agency DPA, in U.S. stores, the cheapest model — 16GB, which includes WLAN — costs $499, or 373 Euros, plus tax. For $699 or 522 Euros, one can purchase a 64 GB model, which can increase the price by $348.10, or 260 Euros, if one wants to add a mobile phone connection. On top of that, one must also include the costs of software installation and advertisements.

The most expensive feature of the iPad, according to iSuppli, is the screen, which is valued at $95. The processor is valued at $26.80, and the aluminum casing is worth $10.50.

The iPad was launched on Saturday, April 10th, and was highly successful. In the first day alone, 300,000 devices were sold. Outside of the stores, there were extremely visible and long lines. In several European countries, however, the product will not be sold until the end of the month, and it is unclear what the selling prices will be for each country.

With the iPad, Apple is attempting to activate a new market within the tablet family, which has not really been able to take off. Until now, customers have believed that a mobile laptop of this style was too expensive and had little chance of competing with classic laptops.