comScore Releases Results of Study on Apple iPad and E-Reader Consumer Attitudes, Behaviors and Purchase Intent…iPad Matches Amazon Kindle in Awareness and Purchase Intent

Why? Three reasons!

1. Amazon makes Kindle iPhone/iPod reading software. Barnes & Noble has announced that they will make reader software for iPad. Amazon and Barnes & Nobel want to sell content.  Their products are nice, but in the long run, they launched their devices to sell content. Why wasn’t this surfaced in the research?
2. Comparing an e-ink, eReader to a Tablet PC is like comparing a Ford F150 to a Super Bike (I know not a great analogy, but I am tired!). So iPad can kick ass in the do-everything department — no doubt. But e-ink has a huge advantage as an e-reader — less eye fatigue and better battery life. But then again, that’s all they do!
3. Finally, the research isn’t as much about “Apple iPad and E-Reader Consumer Attitudes” is it is about, well, Apple iPad attitudes. And consumer attitudes seem to show that consumers will purchase the device for Internet, email, and to do a lot of computerlike things on it (aka multitasking). Basically, see point #2. You can’t do these things with Kindle or Nook because they are eReaders, not tablet PCs!!!

So what did the research tell us? Lots of things! Just nothing that’s particularly useful. To paraphrase Dorothy Parker: This research is not to be tossed lightly aside, but hurled with great force…

There is no doubt that AT&T gambled (a lot) and won (a lot) with their bet on the iPhone. So let’s call it a success and move on.

What I think is a more interesting question to ponder: when will AT&T better leverages its quad-play (home phone, cell, Internet and IPTV) offerings to begin really owning the digital home. I am not talking about discounted package deals and single billing statements. Yawn.  What I am talking about is going into an AT&T store seeing a big, beautiful HDTV and getting it for free or near free (say $20 per month) for signing a 2 year commitment for new IPTV and Internet service.

When this happens, AT&T would not only drive up subscribers, but drive HDTV sales and services through the roof. I love going into Best Buy, but if AT&T was willing to off set the cost of a new HDTV like they do for cell phones, I’d be the first in line.

If you are a tech-nerd like me, take a step back before you blast me on the disadvantages of bundling. I know the customer service issues needed to be dealt with first! But most people don’t want to be CIOs of their house. They want a simple solution to bring everything together. And think — what’s the next logical step once all these things are connected together? Access to advanced content and services. Not just movies, but critically needed services such as remote home network management, off-site file back-ups (documents, movies, photos and videos), managed DRM so you can move content from one device to another (legally), and much much more.

I am not the first to prognosticate about the future of telco and cable companies (sorry satellite), so believe this isn’t a matter of if this will happen, but when. And when it does… that will be a hell of thing to be able to promote. Much more interesting than bundled billing!