If there’s one thing that seems to go hand-in-hand with struggling tablets, it’s generous price cuts. As Apple’s iPad continues to gain overwhelming popularity, tablets that attempt to fight the beast are falling short, and manufactures are being forced to drop their prices to shift their stock.
The most notable reductions to date were seen from the recent fire sale from HP, which saw the company slash the price of its TouchPad to just $89. However, it seems HP won’t be the last company to do try attempt this method: Although RIM hasn’t quite been so liberal with its reductions, it has begun slashing PlayBook prices in Canada in a bid to shift the 7-inch slate.
Canadian Best Buy, Future Shop and Staples stores have all knocked a whopping $200 off the PlayBook’s price tag, with the device now selling for just $300. Best Buy and Future Shop are supplying gift cards to take advantage of that $300 price in-store, but all three retailers have reduced the device to $300 online.
Walmart may be about to make the biggest reductions however, cutting the PlayBook’s price in half. Although the device remains $500 in Walmart stores, one MobileSyrup reader provided evidence of his PlayBook purchase with a receipt for just $250.
Stores in the U.S. are yet to begin their PlayBook reductions, according to Electronista, however, we’d expect them to catch up shortly.
RIM has promised users a major update to the PlayBook’s QNX software, which will finally introduce key features like email, contacts and calendars; and even an Android App Player for running applications developed for the Android OS. But is this too little, too late?
While the sale isn’t quite as dramatic as that held by HP recently, it’s a clear indication that like many tablet manufacturers that aren’t based in Cupertino, PlayBook sales are struggling.
