The iPad is being hailed at the publishing industry’s saviour; and it isn’t even available to buy yet.

Launched in a ‘third category’, to sit between laptops and smartphones, who exactly is going to buy the iPad? One critic suggests that this is for the over 25 market, those who are more accustomed to paying for news content. It also looks likely to replace the netbook, which has been a victim of its own success as consumers choose the cheaper netbook over more powerful but expensive laptops.

“Launched in a ‘third category’, to sit between laptops and smartphones, who exactly is going to buy the iPad?”

In terms of a comparison between this and Amazon’s e-reader, Kindle, it’s safe to say that the iPad will probably be the most successful, bringing it to the attention of a much wider audience than the estimated 2 million who bought the Kindle not to mention the Cybook Opus or Sony Reader.

As the iPod was not the first MP3 player, so the iPad is not the first e-reader. But what makes Apple successful is the usability of its products and the accompanying interfaces. iTunes made the iPod the easiest MP3 player to use and therefore gave it mass market appeal, similarly Apps made the iPhone a seriously successful smartphone. There are those who suggest the iPad is not as easy to read as Kindle with its bright white high contrast background, although it seems unlikely to matter as the iPad is more than just an e-reader.

“As the iPod was not the first MP3 player, so the iPad is not the first e-reader”

For publishers, the iPad offers a revenue generating alternative to printed media including newspapers and magazines. A plethora of publishing giants have already signed up to create digital versions of their products and it seems almost inevitable that paid for news content will become a reality. The iPad increases opportunities for consumption and gives users an improved reading experience when out and about.

“A plethora of publishing giants have already signed up to create digital versions of their products and it seems almost inevitable that paid for news content will become a reality”

Surfing the internet is sure to be easier on an iPad than on a smartphone. The larger screen will make internet access on the move simple and speedy. But why not enable users to view flash or print what’s on screen? Watching films, TV shows and YouTube clips in high definition will be easy, but there are some that question how easy it will be to read or watch anything on the screen for a long period of time. Regardless, this device is purely about ease of access and consumption of content whenever and wherever.

Where the iPad will prove popular however, is with the gaming community for its large screen and advanced gaming features. The potential for games development on the site is huge, and with the ability to play iPhone games and the handheld format, gaming will be anything but boring on this small but powerful device.