Hopes, Fears for Apple's Tablet Launch

January 26, 2010

Technophiles are aroused. Advertisers are fantasizing. And battered, skeptical publishers are hopeful but trying to stay grounded as everyone awaits digital Christmas, scheduled for Jan. 27, when Apple is expected to introduce its long-rumored tablet device.

In classic form, Apple isn't saying much, but rumors have the company releasing some sort of aesthetically gorgeous, paper-sized tablet device that combines computing, Web browsing, e-reading and multimedia. The last time Apple released a product this shrouded and hyped--the iPhone---it pretty much singlehandedly elevated the entire mobile medium.

The excitement has some advertisers swooning over the possibilities of communicating via the tablet--envisioning a beautiful new canvas and maybe even a complete rethinking of what Web pages look like. "Advertising is, at its core, about storytelling. And since the advent of interactive media, we have had to make compromises in how we tell those stories: character limits, file sizes, small and odd dimensions," explained Eric Bader, managing partner, BrandinHand. "This tablet is the next step in vastly improving the experiences."

Buyers also foresee the tablet as a channel for better targeting data. But its personal, portable nature may also make it tougher to make an impact. "How do I insert my brand in an era where it's increasingly impossible to disrupt somebody?" asked Greg March, digital group director at Wieden+Kennedy. "That doesn't change with a tablet."

Most expect Apple's tablet, like Amazon's Kindle, to sell magazine and newspaper subscriptions. But publishing experts cautioned against viewing the device as a lifesaver. Sean Reily, Los Angeles Times director of editorial business and planning, said that Apple's brand should lift the profile of e-reading overall and provide an attractive distribution outlet.
"But the business of publishing is a whole other ballgame," he said.

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