March 7, 2011
Samsung admits iPad 2 will be tough to beat
Register Hardware
Hard Reg writes how Apple’s iPad 2 tablet is affecting Samsung’s tablet plans.
“A Samsung executive has admitted that beating the iPad 2’s skinniness will be a challenge. The new Apple fondleslab, priced to match the first-gen model, will also force the South Korean giant to rethink its pricing policy, Lee Don-joo, an executive VP at Samsung’s mobile division told local news agency Yonhap. ‘Apple made it very thin,’ he said. Samsung’s ‘10in [tablet] was to be priced higher than the 7in,’ he said, ‘but we will have to think that over.’”
Gartner: Tablets sap PC demand; PC ecosystem cringes
ZD Net
Larry Dignan writes about Gartner Researchs’ tablet and PC market outlook.
“Gartner on Thursday cut its PC demand outlook as consumers increasingly opt for tablets. According to the research firm, global PC shipments will hit 387.8 million in 2011, up 10.5 per cent from 2010. Now that forecast represents good growth, but Gartner was expecting a 15.9 per cent increase. In 2012, PC shipments are projected to be 440.6 million units, up 13.6 per cent from 2011. Gartner had been expecting 2012 unit growth of 14.8 per cent. Gartner analyst George Shiffer said in a statement: ‘We expect growing consumer enthusiasm for mobile PC alternatives, such as the iPad and other media tablets, to dramatically slow home mobile PC sales, especially in mature markets.’”
Trust: the Foundation for Building a Stronger Channel
The VAR Guy
Heather K. Margolis lists some questions for vendors to think about when it comes to reducing channel conflict.
“I know as well as any of you how difficult it is to manage channel conflict. Your direct sales team has a mind of its own and it can be next to impossible to protect partners from each other and from DMRs. Put in place a channel conflict manifesto; since you can’t avoid it, how are you going to remedy it? Do you have a deal registration process? Do your executives know how important it is for partners who are involved in a channel conflict to hear from them? You are better off dealing with the occasional conflict if you’ve taken the steps to avoid them and especially if your executives are willing to make that phone call after a channel conflict occurs.”