Walmart Already Discounting iPad Air Ahead of Launch

News
By Jane McEntegart
published

Walmart is undercutting Apple's pricing on the iPad Air before the tablet has even launched.

Apple just announced the iPad Air earlier this week. In fact, it hasn't even been released yet. However, that hasn't stopped Walmart from discounting the newest iPad ahead of its launch. According to ZDNet, Walmart is offering the iPad Air for $20 less than the price Apple announced on Tuesday.

 

It's not a lot, but the difference between $499 and $479 might be enough to make some shoppers take their business to Walmart as opposed to the Apple Store. The Apple Store is also usually the first to sell out of new devices, given the number of people who will queue up outside to get their hands on new technology before anyone else.

Apple's iPad Air, which was announced on Tuesday, is 20 percent thinner than the iPad 2 (7.5 mm vs. 8.6 mm). It has a bezel that is 43 percent thinner. It is also significantly lighter than the iPad 2, weighing in at just one pound (the iPad 2 weighs 1.4 pounds). Under the hood, you've got the same 64-bit A7 chip that powers the iPhone 5S, as well as a 9.7-inch Retina display (2048 x 1536 resolution), a 5-megapixel iSight camera, and a 10 hour battery life. Pricing for the iPad Air starts at $499 (from Apple) for the WiFi-only version, while the LTE+WiFi version will start at $629. Apple is still selling the iPad 2 at $399.

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Jane McEntegart
15 Comments Comment from the forums
  • danwat1234
    Strange how it doesn't have a USB port or sd card slot or mini-HDMI port..
    Reply
  • CyranD
    The only surprising thing about this article is the fact Apple allows Walmart to do this. In the past, I have always thought fixed pricing was a requirement in order for Apple to provide there products to a supplier.
    Reply
  • iamadev
    Another slightly surprising thing is that this article, like the last one on the iPad Air, states that 7.5mm from 8.6mm is a 20% drop. Just glancing at the numbers from a mildly intelligent person should show that it isn't even close to 20%.

    I pointed out in the comments of the last post about it actually being 13% but I guess the writers never read what people are saying about the articles they are writing.
    Reply
  • CyranD
    That what happens when a writer uses the numbers from apple without actually paying attention to what apple is comparing. The 20% drop that apple claiming is in comparison to the iPad 4 which is 9.4mm.
    Reply
  • Jonjolt
    @Cyran

    I'm in an industry that has MAP policy's, some manufacturers will play a game easiest way is if Walmart asks for 100 units Apple sends them 5. They didn't stop selling them to Walmart, there's just not enough. wink wink ;) Even though there's court cases that say having a MAP policy is legal it still does not stop any company from dragging your butt to court.
    Reply
  • chumly
    So... the rest of the tablet market installs full operating systems and Apple puts a mobile phone OS on theirs. Quality.
    Reply
  • Icecweam7
    Looks like Apple may have to hold off iPad Air shipments to Walmart for a while.
    Reply
  • stevejnb
    11796768 said:
    So... the rest of the tablet market installs full operating systems and Apple puts a mobile phone OS on theirs. Quality.

    Hrm... Isn't Android a phone OS every bit as much as iOS is? And though Windows RT isn't technically a phone OS, it is in that capability range. The only tablets which really seem to have a "full OS" are the Windows Pro tablets.

    I've heard a lot of people say they like the discrete OS's on different devices - which I personally hate. What is the "tablet market" that is installing which "full OS's" that you're talking about?
    Reply
  • signothorn
    Retailers often make money on the back end from the vendor for moving "x" amount of units. If they have price flexibility, they price the item based on projected sales at a specific price to maximize vendor bonuses for exceeding the commitments they made to the vendor when the deal was made. This is why you see microsoft office single user product key on sale for $69-$99 on black friday, sold below cost.
    Reply
  • velocityg4
    What's really ridiculous is an iPad 2 for $399. That is quite an old model. It should be an iPad 4 at that price.
    Reply