TheStreet.com: The Apple Netbook-slash-tablet will flop

Scott Moritz has it all figured out. He argues that the rumored 10-inch “tablet” Netbook from Apple is going to be a flop.

Now who knows if there’s actually going to be such a device, but let’s say that he’s correct in that a netbook tablet like this is going to be available in the fall as some have speculated (by the way as they did in the fall of 2008, 2007, and 2006, but that’s another story).

Will it fail just like all the other Tablet PCs? Scott thinks so:

“…the tablet will dazzle Apple fans who typically don’t think twice about paying upwards of $2,000 for the latest, greatest Mac. But beyond the core fan base, Apple will discover what other PC makers have known for a while: Consumers find big tablets hard to swallow.”

As evidence of this he continues:

“Hewlett-Packard, Gateway, Lenovo all make tablet notebooks for around $1,400, and none score well on any popularity indexes.”

In particular, Scott is most concerned about hitting the top 100 bestsellers list at Amazon.

Uhm, yes. Of course, these other manufacturers are struggling. There’s been a pricing issue. There’s been a price premium for Tablets. Take the HP Pavilion tx2500z for example. It’s number 66 right now in the Amazon top seller list. Why? Because the regularly priced $1,549.99 priced Tablet is selling for $899.

Apple knows this. Anyone that’s been watching the Netbook market knows this. People are price sensitive–especially right now.

However, what if Apple sells a Netbook-slash-Tablet in the $800 range. That’s a price point that might attract quite a few followers. Look at the Amazon top-sellers list right now. It lists the netbookish VAIO P, which sells for $899, just past the 50th spot. Kind of makes you think that an Apple netbookish-tabletish device selling for the same amount would do as well or better than this.

Now, if Apple can sell a double-sized iPod Touch for $499 or a Netbook-like slate eReader for something similar, then I think Apple could have a big winner on its hands.

The market has been asking for an Apple Tablet and an Apple Netbook for a long while. The iPhone and iPod Touch are both in this family if you ask me. They’re good Internet devices, which is exactly what a Netbook and Tablet should be. They could be better though. I, at least, want a device that I can browse and interact with the whole web. This mythical missing Apple device just might be it–or at least a first stab at such a device. We’ll have to see.

Oh, and by the way, Scott, yes, Tablets have been selling reasonably well. And think: When you consider all the negative commentary the press has poked at them with over the years, the numbers are surprisingly good. And the numbers continue to go up. The trend’s in the right direction. Yes, we’re waiting for even better designs and the OEMs to lower prices, however, it’s only a matter of time.