The iPad didn't validate the market for tablets, it validated the market for iPads.
And if over 50% of people prefer a 10" tablet to a 7" one, why in the world would Samsung, RIM and others think they could sell one at a smaller size? Did they do any market research at all?
Well... if that means 40% (or whatever the number is) of people would prefer a 7" to a 10" one... that's still a ridiculous amount of people. I think that -is- market research.
Exactly. If the iPad is cleaning up the 10" market and you know that even 15% strongly prefer 7", and there is no iPad in that market, it would make sense to do a 7" version and clean up the 7" market.
The problem is you're not attacking the market of people who prefer 7" tablets, you're attacking the market of people who prefer a 7" tablet SO MUCH they're willing to not get an iPad because of it. Who are these people? Probably geeks. Regardless, it's a much smaller slice of the overall pie.
If you had asked me before I got an iPad, I would have been a bit agnostic on the 7"/10" question. After I got an iPad and read documents on it, I'll never get a 7" pad.
There are certainly use cases (and clothing styles!) that creates niches for 7", but I doubt they are anywhere close to 40% of users. IMHO, this is a case of inexperienced consumers.
On the other hand I've got a 7" nook colour and my girlfriend has an iPad, and while I admit the iPad is better in many many ways (and the Android is better in a few ways), I still prefer the 7" form factor over the 10". So while I'm certainly tempted by the iPad, I'm not getting one until they release a 7" version.
Sigh... Please make an argument showing I am wrong, not just a personal anecdote.
Don't you need to read pdfs and browse full size web pages? Or you do it so little, it isn't a problem? Then the interesting part: Why would that be a large set of customers these days?
Or do you just have young eyes and can see smaller points -- and old farts which need 10" should just die?
I'm not arguing that you are wrong. I'm just saying that I, like you, have actually used both 10" and 7" tablets side by side, and came to the exact opposite conclusion you did.
As for what I use it for, reading pdf's and ebooks probably make up 80% of my usage. As for my eyesight, it's OK, but nothing remarkable, very slightly shortsighted, but not so bad that I need glasses. And anyway I'm certainly not arguing against the existence of 10" tablets, but for the co-existence of both sizes and that one is not inherently better than the other.
My original argument was that document sizes (pdf, web page layout, 80 char code, et al) generally don't translate well to 7". I am sorry if I was unclear.
But sure, I don't have references so call it an anecdote. :-)
That was why I asked if 'dagw' had good eyesight, or something. Maybe he doesn't want to read a page at a time? Never mind, I'll wait until I meet someone that has those unusual tablets...
I have a 7" Galaxy Tab (1024*600 px, 170 PPI). PDFs are fine, although I like to read them fitted-to-width with tablet horizontal, not fit to page. No problems with web pages using Opera. SSH client fits 85 characters wide by 37 tall (tablet vertical, with onscreen keyboard) at font size I find comfortable. My eyesight is nerd-average, corrected with lenses. Unless you have some studies about this, I'm afraid it's going to be personal experience vs personal experience.
In short, you're using a 7" as I use my 13" laptop. It strains my eyesight to use a 10" as my laptop. I assume this is an age thing; I'm over 40. It influences the eyes badly, sigh.
The nice thing about the 7" is that I can hold it in one hand close to my eyes when sitting back or lying down (it's more comfortable than I can make it sound). It works without my contacts in, which is my yardstick for good enough. I'm sure my eyes don't love me for the close work, but my back wouldn't love awkwardly using a laptop more, so it's all a tradeoff.
And if over 50% of people prefer a 10" tablet to a 7" one, why in the world would Samsung, RIM and others think they could sell one at a smaller size? Did they do any market research at all?