iPad UK pricing is no surprise
iPad - no price shocks here
The UK’s iPad pricing has again led to plenty of debate about whether we’re being ripped off for gadgets which costs less across the pond. The basic iPad costs £429 here, while it costs £335 ($499) over in the States. But as Steve Jobs has rather tersely pointed out. that US price doesn’t include sales tax, which varies by State.
If you subtract the VAT from the UK price, it comes in at £365, £30 more than its US bro’. So why even that difference? There’s always been a gadget premium here in Britain. That’s not to say it’s right, but it comes as no surprise that the iPad costs more here than it does in the USA.
Apple has a track record of high prices. That’s largely to keep its place as a premium tech brand and also because it knows its products, all gorgeous and sharp, will sell by the bucketload. The iPad has already shifted a million and iPhone sales figures were up a massive 131 per cent in the first quarter.
If anything, the basic iPad price is better than was expected. Usually the penchant is for swapping the dollar and pound signs. Yes it could be a tad cheaper (£399 would be perfect), but it’s easy to forget that Apple is running a business and it knows it’ll sell stacks of iPads whatever the cost. Everyone wants cheap gadgets, but you always pay the price for being a first adopter. And make no mistake, this is a gadget worth getting.
User comments (9)
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OMG10 May 2010
OMG that is more exspensive then what i thaught
Report as inappropriateAnonymous10 May 2010
The 'crime' here isn't the unit price, it is afterall a powerful bit of kit. Rather the Data prices for the 3G one. £15 for only 3Gb on O2 - that's steep. I couldn't live without free data on my IPhone for all those app and TV programme downloads. These prices equate to a tax of £10 per Movie! The whole point of the IPad is it's use for travelling and being away from a dock. My advice? Buy the WiFi version and find your nearest coffee shop of Bar with free wi-fi.
Report as inappropriateDave McCaughey10 May 2010
Still too expensive for what is just a big ipod touch!
Report as inappropriateRobert Davies10 May 2010
Whilst I would no doubt love the iPad, I'm worried I might find it a bit limited and wonder if a net book is actually a much better (and probably cheaper) option.
Report as inappropriatesnoopay10 May 2010
If i got a Ipad from america and brought it back to the UK would it work fine as long as i just got the wifi one?
Report as inappropriateAnonymous11 May 2010
@snoopay - Yes except for the power adapter. You can charge via USB on new macs. But with only 2 weeks to wait, you might as well hang on.
Report as inappropriatedco4gas13 May 2010
got one a few weeks ago from usa does anyone know when or how i can get word and excel on to it is there an app out there or is it still to come ! they are good ! should catch on , if apple keep producing things like this ,one day they will be a successful international company !!!!
Report as inappropriateAnonymous14 May 2010
@Dco4gas - iWork suite will launch on 28/May
Report as inappropriatemasta120 May 2010
i want one but i cant afordit. can u tell me where i can get one. cheap please.
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