Is the iPad a Game Changer for the Mobile Browsing Market?

29 October 2010

When you think in terms of business, no advertising medium has ever come along with the power, speed and convenience of the Internet. The evolution of the Super Information Highway itself has been the biggest game changer in business history and each new device that pops up and allows Internet access has the potential to change the game as well.

After the boxy PC morphed into the laptop, more and more people were able to get online while out of their homes. This was taken to brand new heights with the invention of smartphones like Apple's iPhone. With the current release of the iPad, we see another marvel of modern technology that has enabled people to access the net while on the go.

The iPad is about the size of a hardcover novel, so it isn't as sleek and small as other mobile devices. At roughly 10 inches by 8 inches, this tablet computer is marketed as a platform for audio/video like books, music, movies, games and, of course, web content.

To date, there have been over 4 million iPads sold worldwide since its release last April. It isn't selling as widely as the iPhone, but there is plenty of enthusiasm surrounding this unique product from Apple. It combines the best attributes of a PC and introduces a powerful mobile device to the market featuring HD picture, huge storage capacity, 3g wireless capability, and a long-lasting battery.

The tablet PC is definitely something that has the potential to catch on and replace laptops due to its usability and overall functionality. The touch screen technology Apple uses is in high demand by customers and may outright replace keyboards in most applications in less than a decade.

iPad is predicted to do exceptionally well in the education and healthcare industries. However, with millions of iPad users out there, the effects on Internet business could be overwhelming. Whether or not it will actually change the game is a different story entirely, but business people operating online will have to make sure their content is geared toward the mobile market.

Because of the immense popularity of mobile devices already, Internet entrepreneurs are having to take steps to make mobile versions of their websites and even traffic more in the social networking genre, as that's where a large percentage of mobile users end up.

With the iPad, things continue to lean more in this direction. Although the home PC and full-sized websites and conventional marketing methods will probably never be obsolete - or at least not in the foreseeable future - mobile browsing still introduces a parallel to the industry. A successful marketer is one who adapts to the mobile industry as well as the home market.

The good news for business people is that they don't have to change anything they're doing. iPad will never completely change how the business operates. However, anyone would be wise to jump into the mobile market with both feet if they haven't already. Items like the iPad will keep coming. It's inevitable.