Apple slashes iPad price during DSF

Effective from Thursday, the iPad will cost 5 per cent less in the local market as Apple kicks off a strategic campaign to coincide with the Dubai Shopping Festival 2012. The new price lists have already been intimated to Apple's retail partners and they will now be looking to consolidate iPad's dominant standing - estimated at 80 per cent - in the local tablet space. "By Apple's standards, the 5 per cent price cut is quite significant," said Nadeem Khanzadah, head of retail at Jumbo Electronics and one of the retailers participating in the programme. Thus, a 16 GB version would cost Dh1,999 as against Wednesday's Dh2,099. It may be recalled that the initial 16 GB versions used to carry a price tag of Dh2,799. Apart from the price cut, the individual retailers will sweeten the deal further by bundling add-ons such as iPad cases for free. "It's a win-win situation for Apple and its retailers here, because apart from feeding the local demand, the DSF platform offers them an opportunity to target significant volumes selling to tourists," said an Apple retailer, who has been stocking up on his iPad inventory in anticipation of a 20 per cent volume gain during this period. Interestingly, the Apple initiative comes at a time when speculation is starting to build up nicely for the upcoming iPad 3's global launch. Speculation is rife that this could happen late next month, though it would take some more time before the official deliveries reach these shores.