A new report from US researcher Retrevo adds more weight to the idea that the Apple iPad will continue to eat into netbooks. There has been a body of opinion that felt that the iPad may be doing well, but that Netbook weakness was purely seasonal.
The study asked netbook, laptop, and iPad owners and buyers what products they considered this past year and what they ended up buying. It also asked what they are currently considering and which products they are leaning toward.
Retrevo reckons that Apple may have grabbed as many as 30% of any netbook buyers who held off purchasing a netbook, because they went on to eventually buy on an iPad.
The position is starting to look worse. We have always said that the three laws which accelerate consumer buying are that 1) you want one 2) you can afford one, but most importantly 3) You know someone who has got one. And as more iPads are seen in the wild, those optiong for an iPad will also rise and Retrevo says that now 78% of people interviewed are saying they are leaning toward an iPad.
The other issue is that Laptops are coming down in price and Retrevo found that of consumers who wrestled with the decision to buy a netbook or laptop, 65% ended up choosing the laptop and 35% took a netbook.
Retrevo then asked what was the main feature that attracted Netbook buyers and it came up with portability and battery life as the strongest selling points, pretty much losing out to an iPad.