Just for a sec–suspend all disbelief and imagine that Apple stores stocked Tablet PCs. Let’s say they carried the Toshiba M200 and the Motion LE1600. Would Tablet sales be demonstrably different?
Hmmm. It’s one of those impossible questions to answer. But I love it. My gutt wants to say yes. My brain wants to say no.
Why the conflict?
Part of me believes that Tablets simply aren’t out in front of enough people. And outside of Microsoft launching its own world-wide collection of stores, I don’t see how people are going to find the Tablets–even if they want to. Manufacturer websites aren’t going to draw in the casual customer nor I think a good percentage of the motivated ones. Quite simply, Apple stores would be a great place to showcase Tablets. The stores are cool. I’d go check the Tablets out there anyway. I imagine many artists, photographers, writers, college-bound students and the like would give Tablets a spin there too.
Now on the rational side I’m not so sure if this would make any difference. Why should it? People would still want more killer apps, cheaper prices, more form-factor creativity, and the like.
One thing seems likely though. If Tablets were in Apple stores, there sure wouldn’t be as much endless talk about vertical markets and niche this-or-that. Even if the numbers didn’t change one bit, the image would. Tablets would be for everyone.
