Hanwang Technology plans to launch consumer tablet PCs with prices below 1,000 yuan (US$146) by the end of 2010, according company chairman Liu Yingjian speaking at Computex 2010. Market watchers expect Quanta Computer and Pegatron Technology to receive tablet PC orders from Hanwang.
Although Liu believes Apple's business model is successful, he said that the iPad would not be able to reach the majority of consumers in China because of its high price, as most of them would be unwilling to spend that amount of money on an entertainment device for accessing the Internet.
Hanwang plans to adopt the Wintel platform for its sub-1,000 yuan tablet PCs, and will release SDK for programmers to download and develop applications for the devices. It will later introduce a platform similar to Apple's App Store for consumers to download programs and e-books.
The company hopes to adopt such a business model when developing the worldwide market, Liu said.
However, Liu declined to reveal further details of the sub-1,000 tablet PCs, but noted the devices will be manufactured by Taiwan makers.
Hanvon, the brand name of Hanwang
Photo: Ninelu Tu, Digitimes, June 2010
Article translated by Joseph Tsai
