According to a report on the Taiwanese supply chain slash rumor website DigiTimes, Acer is thinking about cutting the price of the Iconia A1 to $149 from $249. Never heard of the Iconia A1? It’s a 7.9 inch Android tablet with the exact same screen resolution as the iPad mini.
Chances are you have heard of Acer’s B1 however, the company’s famous $99 7 inch Android tablet that has one of the worst displays I’ve ever seen on a retail product. That thing was responsible for between 70% and 75% of Acer’s Q1 2013 tablet shipments.
Translation: People like cheap tablets. Making the “expensive” A1 cheaper will equal more sales.
I keep on getting a lot of flack for saying the only good thing Android tablets have to offer are low prices, but that’s just how I feel. No one who can afford an iPad mini or full blown iPad should ever consider an Android tablet. Seriously, if you’re thinking about a Galaxy Tab 10.1 or Sony’s beautiful Tablet Z, just stop. Please.
As someone who recently made the switch from iOS to Android, let me tell you, Android apps are just plain ugly. And from what people tell me, the tablet situation is far worse.
That being said, I still think these cheap tablets have a place in this world. For people looking to connect to the internet for the first time, they’re better off buying a cheap 7 inch tablet than an incredibly tiny smartphone.
