iPad 2: A round up of the latest reviews

A couple of weeks ago, we shared news about the rumours surrounding a widely anticipated launch of the iPad 2. Fast forward a fortnight, and the iPad 2 has already seen 'amazing' sales in the US, according to spokesperson, Trudy Muller. While the jury is out on what this actually means in terms of unit sales, estimates suggest that Apple sold around one million in the first weekend.

But what has been the response to the new iPad 2? While techies may have berated the lack of major technological enhancements, many have celebrated its sleek design, faster connectivity and light, agile good looks. Weighing 80 grammes less than the original, it makes heavier alternatives look, well, just a little frumpy.

Critic David Pogue of the New York Times was quick to share his view on the appeal of the new tablet, saying, quite simply "It transforms the experience", and in many ways, he is right. All good marketers know that any purchase, be it a product or service, is made in part by a rational need to buy, and also through an emotional connection. Quite often, we overlook this emotional driver, trying to find new ways to describe a USP of a particular solution, or develop a new means to articulate a benefit rather than just a mere feature.

Just 11 months after the release of the original iPad, Apple seems to have developed an updated version of the tablet which is an evolutionary, not revolutionary step forward. Fans will undoubtedly love it, but the real opportunity for Apple lies not in the 15 million individuals that already own an original iPad, but the millions of potential customers that will be convinced of its appeal and longevity through this gentle process of refinement. While their technological prowess is unquestionable, Apple also appear to invest as much time and energy thinking about the buying behaviour of their potential customers; thereby anticipating desire for design and style, and creating products which not only deliver on a technical level, but fulfil that emotional need driving every purchase. The results are not just evident in their financial performance, but in their dominance as a leading technology and lifestyle brand. Getting that balance right between rational and emotional, high quality and high consumer appeal, is a lesson we can all learn through the development of our respective brands and organisations.

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