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BlackBerry PlayBook will match iPad 2 price on launch

Only a few days until its release in the UK, the iPad 2 already knows it will face several rivals to its tablet crown soon after launch.

The BlackBerry PlayBook is one of many jostling for attention in what will soon be a very crowded tablet market

In order to compete with (and snatch some customers away from) Apple’s tab, BlackBerry is set to match the entry-level price of the iPad 2.

According to the New York Times, the basic BlackBerry tablet will be $499, matching the cost of the entry level 16GB iPad 2.

The NYT believes that the exact pricing won’t have a huge effect on the success of BlackBerry maker RIM’s first foray into the world of tablets.

Analysts believe that the bulk of interest in the PlayBook , like their BlackBerry phone range, will be businesses and large-scale government departments buying in huge numbers, and at a discounted price.

“Maybe PlayBook is a misnomer,” said Tony Cripps, an analyst from Ovum. “RIM would be crazy not to maximize its advantages in the enterprise market.”

The price-match should add a few buyers, torn between the huge range of tablets soon to be available in the UK, and make them particularly appealing to small businesses wanting a secure tablet- BlackBerry’s strongest suit.

The PlayBook will only be able to connect online through wireless, with no 3G connection built-in, but then, if your phone can do wireless tethering, this really shouldn’t be a huge issue.

While both have dual cameras, front and rear-facing, the PlayBook’s are capable of finer capture quality, yet the iPad 2’s 9.7-inches display lords it over the Blackberry tablet’s seven-inch touchscreen.

Stuck between tablets? Check our own comparison between the contenders.

Via: ElectricPig

 

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