The Samsung Galaxy Tab is the only real rival to the Apple iPad, according to a former Apple boss who ran the company for 10 years.
“I predict many good years ahead for Apple. The only serious tablet competitor in sight to the iPad at this time is Samsung’s Galaxy,” John Sculley, who was CEO at Apple from 1983 to 1993, told The Economic Times in India.
Sculley said the huge costs associated with creating consumer technology products meant that most companies couldn’t make a dent in Apple’s market share. He felt Apple’s ability to tie in services had also given it a big advantage.
“Investments in R&D are so large that it’s impossible for most consumer electronics companies to compete with Apple’s iPad,” Sculley said.
“Apple sells a complete end-to-end system; its technology is mostly proprietary; it’s as superb at supply chain management as it is at a no-compromise product design; App Store and the Apple Store are as much a part of the ‘experience marketing’ as the products themselves.”
However, the former Apple man suggested that the partnership between Nokia and Windows could reap dividends.
“There is still an opportunity, especially in India, China and Africa for a very inexpensive smartphone. Many tech watchers in the US have pretty much written off Nokia and Microsoft as serious competitors in the smartphone market. I think Nokia and Microsoft may surprise the industry with a successful low-end smartphone,” he added.
“I also think it is too early to count Windows 8 out as a mobile platform. The developer versions of both Windows 8 and Windows Mobile are impressive.”
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