All Eyes Are On The iPad. Are Yours?

In early April Apple launched the iPad. Since that time not one day has passed that you’ve not heard the word iPad. Why? Apple sold 3 million units in the first 80 days of it’s release. Initial estimates were that Apple would sell 1 million iPads in 2010 and now the 2010 forecast is much higher:

iSuppli, a market intelligence company, also raised their forecast of iPad sales. The company believes Apple will ship 12.9 million iPads by the end of 2010, 36.5 million in 2011 and 50.4 million in 2012. – iSuppli

For many the iPad is the savior of a stagnating print industry and for others its a great gaming platform. But what should it mean to photographers? No it’s not going to change photography (Why the iPad Doesn’t Matter, Yet Matters), but it is going to provide a great publishing opportunity. In fact it’s more likely to create a publishing revolution, a revolution that could possibly turn publishing upside down.

I noted in my iPad review that I was initially unimpressed at the time of Apple’s announcement of the iPad, but sometime later I understood why the iPad would make a lasting impact (5 Reasons Photographers Should Take Note of the iPad). In a nutshell “transformational user experience”.

Not unlike the early days of PC’s when the mouse was first introduced, it was tough for people to envision the possibilities the new technology provided. It was tough to appreciate a computer that used a mouse when there was little to no software that utilized a mouse.  Fast forward to 2010 and we’re in the same predicament.  The main difference is that we’ve been graced with a soft introduction to the touch screen thanks to the iPhone. Yet the larger real estate of the iPad screen gives developers and users more to experiment and play with. It’s an exciting time to ponder the possibilities.

I know I have and over the coming week or two I’m going to share a post or two on the iPad to go deeper into my thoughts on the opportunities it provides and how I think photographers can benefit from this new publishing medium. Stay tuned!

[tags]photography, Apple, iPad, publishing[/tags]